THE 

ARTIST'S  COMPANION, 

AND 

MANUFACTURER'S  GUIDE, 

CONSISTING  OF  "THE 

MOST  VALUABLE  SECRETS 
IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

Calico  Printing, ...Bleaching  of  Cotton  and 
Paper.. ..Dyeing  of  Wood,  Bones,  8£c. 

Engraving  and  Etching  on   Copper... .En- 
graving in  vlquatinta.... Engraving  on 
Wood. 

Dyeing  of  various  Colours. ...Manufacture  of 
(Jlass,  Pottery,  Beer,  8£c. 

WITW  ABOVE  TTVTf,  TITTNT>ttP,n  V  A  LT7  ART.E  M'OD£RN  HE* 
CEIPTS;  FORMING  A  GREAT  VARIETY  OF  USEFUL 
ARTICLES,  COLLECTED  FROM  THE  LATEST 
PEAK  PUBLICATIONS. 


JBy  a  Friend  to  American 


BOSTON: 

Published  by  y.  Norman,  Chart-seller,  Wo.  1,  North-Row* 
E.  G.  House,  Printer. 

1814. 


I 


DISTRICT  OF  MASS  ACHU  SETTS,  to  wit  * 
*f>fc  st  remembered,  that  on  the  twentieth  day  of  August,  A.  B. 

D  1814,  and  in  the  thirty -ninth  year  of  t  e  independence  of  the  U- 
aited  States  of  America,  John  Norman  of  the  said  TMsrifct,  has  depo- 
sited in  this  office,  the  title  of  a  book  the  right  whereof  he  claims  as 
proprietor,  in  the  words  following,  to  wit :  "The  Artist's  Corrpanion 
and  Manufacturer's  Guide,  consisting  of  the  most  valuable  secrets  in 
ar-s  and  trades.  Calico  printing— bleaching  of  cotton  and  paper—* 
dyeing  of  wood,  bones,  &c  —engraving  and  etching  on  copper— en- 
graving in  aquatinta ;  engraving  on  wood.  Dyeing  of  various  colours  j 
manufacture  of  glass,  pottery,  beer,  £c.  With  above  five  hundred 
valuable  modern  receipts,  forming  a  great  variety  of  useful  articles, 
collected  from  the  latest  European  publication*.  By  a  Friend  to  A- 
«nericar  Manufactures 

lu  Conformity  to  the  Act  of  Congress  of  the  United  States,  in- 
titled  "An  Act  for  the  Encouragement  of  Learning,  by  securing  the 
Copies  of  Maps,  Charts  and  Books,  to  the  Authors  and  Proprietors  of 
such  Copies^  during  the  times  therein  mentioned;'*  and  also  to  an  Act, 
antitled,  "An  Act  supplementary  to  an  Act,  intitled,  An  Act  for  the 
Encouragement  of  Learning  by  securing  the  Copies  of  Maps,  Charts, 
and  Rooks  to  the  Authors  and  Proprietors  of  such  C'  Pl^»  Curing  the 

times  therenTrritnTioneo: ;  and  extending  the  Benefits  thereof  to  tne 
Arts  of  Designing,  Engraving  and  Etching  Historical,  and  othcf 
prints. 

Wm,  S.  SHAW,  Clerk  of  the  District  of  Massachusetts, 


CONTENTS.  iV» 

No.  Page 

A  mixture  which  may  be  used  for  making  im- 
pressions ofany  kind,  and  will  grow  as  hard 

as  a  stone      *-.---  435  144 

B. 

"Bleaching  of  cotton      -        ...  2  6 

Bleaching  of  paper       -  3  t 

Brightness  of  arms  preserved        -        -        -  39  22 

Borax  made          *••...*-  53  25 

Black  varnish        -        *        ^.        .        .        .  57  26 

Blanchard's  varnish  for  air  ballons         -        -  90  36 

Brass  made  white         -  56  26 

Blue,  very  like  ultramarine  -        -         -       -  115  44 

Bistre  for  the  wash 121  46 

Brown  colour       -        -        -        -        -        -  141  49 

Blood  cement        ...*-.  iss  63 

Burnt  wine           ......  339  100 

Brewing                                          *  466  157 

C. 

Calico  printing     »*..-.«  1  j 

Composition  of  cast  mirrors  and  cylenders  -  23  18 

Compose  a  metal  of  a  gold  colour         -  33  21 

Composition  of  metal  *        -        -        -        -  34  21 

Chinese  varnish  caculated  for  minature  painting  59  27 

Cold  cement  for  cisterns  and  fountains  77  §2 
Cement  to  render  crystals  like  diamonds,  and  give 
the  sapphires  of  Alenson  a  hardness  to  cut 

glass      ........  si  S3 

Composition,  the  fundamental  basis  of  all  enamels  85  34 

Carmine,  very  good      -         -        *        -        -  us  44 

Common  ink        .......  226  72 

Changing  iron  apparently  into  copper  *•        -  282  83 

Cupellation           ---..*  288  86 

Cream  which  cuts  as  a  rice  pudding      -        -  384  113 

Currying 474  175 

D. 

Dissolve  gold  in  your  naked  hand  35  21 

Diamond,  counterfeited                                   *  84  34 

Directions  for  the  mixture  of  colours    -        -  164  55 

Directions  for  preparing  coffee      ...  359  105 

Dyi-ing,  principles  of  *        ...        *  467  ISO 

Dyeing  b-ue 468  16(3 

yellow     --,„„,  459  15-3 
A 


rv  CONTENTS. 

No.  .Pitg* 

Dyeing  red 470  170 

black       -         -         -        -         -        -  471  172 

forown 472  173 

compound  colours            ...  473  174 

E. 

Engraving     .......  4  7 

Etching 5  10 

Extract  mercury  from  lead    .        .        .        .  22  18 

Extract  mercury  from  antimony   .         .        -  42  23 

Enamel  made  as  white  as  milk      .        ,        .  105  42 

Enamel,  green       .         .         .        .         .        .  106  42 

Enamel  black,  shining   .....  107  42 

Enamel,  purple  colour  .         .        .         .         .  108  43 

Enamel,  red,  of  a  beautiful  ruby  hue     .        .  109  43 

Essence  of  jessamine  roses  and  other  flowers  344  102 

Essence  of  capon  and  other  fowls          .        .  346  102 

Engraving  in  aqua  tinta         .  417  124 

Engraving  on  wood 418  13O 

F. 

Fix  tnercury,  to    ......  19  it 

Fixation  of  salt  petre    .        .        .        •        .  37  22 
Tixation  of  copper  which  will  yield  six  ounces  out 

of  eight  on  the  test         ....  43  23 

Frames  made  transparent       .        .        .        .  113  44 

Flesh  colour,  fine  made         .        .        .         .  117  44 

Filbert  colour,  pale 137  49 

Flesh  colour      ' 139  49 

Frangipane  colour 143  49 

Figure  of  a  print  made  to  appear  in  gold       .  148  50 

Fine  liquid  green 15S  53 

Fine  vermillion      .        .        .         .        .        .  1 59  52 

Fine  glue      .......  434  144 

G. 

Good  temper  for  arms  .        „        *        .        .  13  16 

Give  tools  such  a  temper  as  to  saw  marble   .  24  18 
Give  the  finest  colour  of  gold  to  copper,  in  order 

to  make  statues  or  other  works  with  it  .  45  23 
Give  painted  silks  all  the  smell  and  fragrancy  of 

the  India  ones 68  29 

Glue  to  lay  on  gold       .    -    .        .         .        .  .  76  . 32 

Gum  copal  dissolved  in  spirits  of  wine 

Gilding  by  amalgamation      .        .        .        .  97  38 


CONTENTS.  T 

No.  Page 

Gilding  iron  or  steel,  an  improved  process     .          98  38 

Gilding  of  silver  cold 99  39 

Give  globes  a  silver  colour     .         .        .         .         Hi  43 

Gold  colour 138  49 

Good  glue  for  sign  boards  or  any  thing  that  must 

stand  the  weather 184  62 

Green  ink ,         .         213  70 

Gold  and  silver  in  shell          .         .         .         .         £43  76 

Gilding  leather 428  iS5 

Good  water  cement      .        .        .        .        •        445  14S 

H. 

How  to  make  a  red,  with  varnish  of  a  much  high- 
er hue  than  coral  itself    ....           60  27 
How  to  make  sashes  with  cloth  which  will  be  very 

transparent 61  27 

How  to  make  varnish  fit  for  sashes        .         .          62  27 

How  to  make  skins  and  gloves  take  the  dyes          145  5O 

How  to  draw  on  glass 151  52* 

How  to  get  the  gold  or  silver  out  of  gilt  places     239  75 

How  to  renew  old  writings  almost  defaced   .         £89  9O 
How  to  find  out  whether  or  not  there  be  water 

mixed  in  a  cask  of  wine           ,         .        .         297  92 

How  to  separate  water  from  wine          .        >        298  92 

How  to  restore  wine 299  92 

How  to  correct  a  bad  taste  and  sourness  in  wine   300  92 

How  to  extract  the  essential  oil  from  any  flower    342  102 

How  to  colour  any  sort  of  liquor          .          .         355  104 
How  to  make  syrups  \\ith  all  sorts  of  flowers, 
which  shall  be  possessed  of  all  their  taste, 

flavour  and  fragrancy     ....         362  <107 

How  to  make  a  dry  preserve          .         .         .         568  109 

How  to  make  the  cotignac  liquid           .         .         369  109 

How  to  make  dry  portable  cherries       .         .         370  ll-o 

How  to  make  an  apricot  or  peach  jam           .         S71  11O 

How  to  make  raspberry,  currant  and  cherry  jam  373  ill 

How  to  make  a  good  current  jelly         .         .         371  111 

How  to  make  an  apple  jelly           .         .         .         375  111 
How  to  make  a  conserve  with  rasping  of  Portugal 

oranges  and  lemons,  conjointly  or  separately  576  111 
How  to  whiten  cherries,  currants,  raspberries, 

grapes,  strawberries,  and  such  like  fruit           377  112 
How  to  preserve  orange  peels  all  the  year,  but 

especially  in  May  .                                             378  112 

How  to  make  the  Qpnoa  paste      .        .         .        379  112 

How  to  make  quinces  jam>  and  other  fruits  .        380  112 


vi  CONTENTS. 

No>  Page 

How  to  make  Genoa  biscuits  .  .  .  381  113 

How  to  make  macaroons  ....  332  113 

How  to  make  an  exceeding  good  boiled  cream  385  1 1 3 

How  to  reduce  tobacco  into  powder  .  .  386  114 
How  to  purge  snuff,  and  prepare  it  for  admitting 

of  odours  - 387  114 

How  to  perfume  snuff  with  flowers  .  .  S88  114 
How  to  entice  a  great  quantity  of  fish  to  resort 

to  a  certain  place  •<  .  .  .  .  412  120 

How  to  get  a  good  many  birds  .  .  .  413  1'2<) 

How  to  preserve  mid  multiply  pigeons  .  414  .120 

How  to  fatten  pigeons  .  .  .  ..  .  415  12C 

1. 

Iron  softened 8,  13 

J.ron  melted  co  that  it  will  spread  under  the  hammer  9  1 5 

Iron  a  temper  to  cut  porphry,  to           •  10  16 

Ingredients  which  serve  to  the  melting  of  iron  17  17 

Jron  from  rusting            ,         .         .         .         .  27  19 

Imitate  tortoise  shell  on  copper     .         .        .  46  24 

Iron  made  a?  white  and  as  beautiful  as  silver  54  26 

J-'ory  black  made           .         •         .                   .  53  27 

V'itate  porphvy    •••....  74  31 

:;•  glass  g] obe?,  to 110  43 

."EnJ'igo  made          .         .         .         .         ..        .  130  48 

J[.caV.?J  colour         .         .         .         „        .        .  136  49. 

Ivingh.StS  glue         ......  383  61 

Japanese  cement,  or  rice  glue         .             .  189  63 

Imitate  tortoise-shell  with  horn       .             .  193  65 

Ink  which  may  be  made  instantly  .             .  273  81 

"l.ik  portable,  without  gall  r,-ut  or  vitriol     .  274  81 

portable,  in  powder      .             .             .  275  82 

Ink  portable,  in  powder — to  make  ink  instantly  276  82 

J. 

,;pan  work,  method  of  painting                .  419  13o 

Japan  grounds         .            .             .             .  453  148 

.white            .             ..             .  454  1-18 

blue               ...  455  149 

red                 .             -             .  456  150 

yellow           ...  457  150 

green             .            %             .  458  150 

orange          .             .             .  459  150 

purple           .             .             .  460  151 

Wack*  without  heat            «  461  ISA 


CONTENTS,  vif 

No.  Page 
Japan  grounds  common  black,  on  iron  or  copper, 

produced  by  means  of  heat  462  151 
fine    tortoise  shell,  produced  by 

means  of  heat                .  463  151 

Japan  work,  manner  of  varnishing              ,  4G1  152- 

K. 

Kier's,  mode  of  separating  silver  from  copper  88  ?5 

L. 

Lute  to  join  broken  vessels              »            .  78  32 

Lake  made                .             .             •             .  114  44 

Lake,  liquid             .             .             .             .  115  44- 

Lapland  glue           ....  185  62 

Liquid  currant  jam              .-           ,             »  366  108 

M. 

Melt  iron  and  make  it  soft              .            .  14  16 
Melt  metal  in  the  shell  of  a  nut  without  burning  it  KG  22" 
Manage  steel  so  that  it  may  cut  iron  as  it  were  lead  40  22 
Ma:tich  to  mend  all  torts  of  broken  vessels  75  ss?' 
Muk  colour,  fine   .-           .             .             .  142  49 
Moulding  and  casting         .             .             .  182  59 
Method  of  silvering  ivory   .             .             .  190  64. 
Method  of  making  ca^t  steel           .             .  1G1  64 
Method  of  distinguishing  iron  from  steel    .  285  85 
Manufacture  of  glass           .             .             .  465  154 
of  soda            -             -             -  475  i76 
of  potash         .              .              .  476  177 
Method  of  taking  a  cast  in  plaster  from  a  per- 
son's face         .             .             .             .  477  178 

N* 

Kitric  acid,  or  permanent  ink         .            «•  7  15' 

O. 

Oil,  one  ounce  of  which  will  last  longer  than  one 

pouad  of  any  other      ...  52  25 
Observations  on  the  process  of  making  ultramarine  12o  48 
Old  pictures  rendered  as  fine  as  new           .  126  47 
©it  to  prevent  pictures  from  blackening.  It  may 
serve  aljo  to  make  cloth  to  carry  in  the  pock- 
et, against  wet  weather           ,            ,  127  4? 


x  CONTENTS. 

No.  Page 

Transparent  yellow  hue      .                                       67  29 
True  receipt  of  the  English  varnish,  such  as  is  laid 

on  sticks  and  artificial  canes    .             .               69  30 

Tinning  glass  globes            .             .            .            112  43 

To  make  a  yellow  .             .             .             .             131  43 

To  take  off  instantly  a  copy  from  a  print  or  picture  165  55 

The  Spanish  ladies'  rouge               ,             .             166  5G 

To  gild  on  glass,  earthen,  or  china  ware    .             170  57 
To  write  or  paint  in  in  silver*  especially  with  a 

pencil                                                       .              171  57 
To  silver  the  convex  side  of  meniscus  glasses  for 

mirrors              .             .             .            .             172  57 

TinniTig  of  iron       .             .             .             .             173  5^ 

Tinning  of  copper                .             .             .             174  58 

Turkey  cement  for  joining  metals,  glass,  &c.         186  62 
TO  dye  bones  and  mould  them  in  all  manner  of 

shapes               .            .            .            .            195  65 

To  dye  bones  in  black         .             .             .             196  66 

To  soften  bones      .             .             .             .             197  66 

To  dye  bones  in  green         .            .            .             198  66 

To  dye  bones  and  ivory  of  a  fine  red         .             200  66 

To  make  a  paste  in  imitation  of  black  marble        201  67 

To  dye  marble,  or  alabaster,  blue  or  purple           202  67 

To  write  with  common  clear  water            .             207  €9 
To  make  very  good  iuk -without  nut  galls  ;  which 
will  be  equally  good  to  wash  drawings  and 

plans,  and  strike  very  neat,  lines  with  a  pen     209  69 

To  make  g>od  India, ink     .             .             .             211  7O 
To  make  an  ink  which  appears  and  disappears 

alternately        .            .             .            .             214  70 

The  invisible  method  of  conveying  secrets              215  70 
To  write  in  silver  without' silver     .             „            220  71 
To  whiten  and  silver  copper  medals           .             227  72 
To  whiten  exteriorly  copper  statues            .              229  73 
To  gild  silver  in  water  gliding,  without  the  as- 
sistance of  mercury      .             .             .             2  SO  73 
To  gild  steel  and  iron  after  being  well  polished     232  ,74 
To  clean  and  whiten  silver              .             .             234  75 
To  bronze  in  gold  colour   .             .             ,             236  75 
To  gild  paper  on  the  edge               .             -             243  7# 
To  gild  without  gold           .              .             .             241  76 
'Jo  gild  on  calf  and  sheep  skin       .             .             242  76 
To  dye  any  metal  or  stone  gold  colour,  without 

gold     .....             244  76 

To  whiten  copper  .            .            .            ...           245  76 

To  whiten  iron  like  silver  .             .            .            246  77 

The  composition  for  red     .             .             .             247  77 
To  dye  wood  in  a  purplish  colour             ..           248 


CONTENTS.  xi 

JS^o.  Page 

To  dye  wood  a  fine  polished  white             .            254  78 

To  dye  in  polished  black    .             .             .             255  78 

To  imitate  ebony  ....             256  78 

To  dye  wood  silver  fashion              .             .             258  78 

To  dye  in  gold,  silver  or  copper     .            .             259  79 

To  give  nut  or  pear  tree,  wli^t  undulation-  you  like  260  79 

To  imitate  the  root  of  nut  tree       -             .             261  79 

To  give  a  fine  colour  to  the  cherry  tree  wood        262  79 

To  marble  wood      .             .             ^                          263  79 

To  imitate  white  marble    .             .             .             264  7$ 

To  imitate  black  marble     .            .             .             265  so 

To  take  the  impression  of  any  seal             .            266  80. 

To  get  birds  with  white  feathers    .            »            267  .80 

To  soften  ivory      ....            £68  so 

To  dye  ivory  thus  softened             .             «             269  so 

To  whiten  ivory  that  has  been  spoiled        .            270.  81. 
To  whiten  green  ivory,  and  whiten  that  agaia 

which  has  turned  of  a  brown  yellow               271-  gl 

The  use  of  sugarncandy  in  ink        .             *            277  82 

To  prevent  ink  from  freezing  in  the  winter            279  83. 

To  make  Canton's  phosphorus        .            .             280  83 

_To  make  a  phosphorus  fire  bottle                            281  83 

To  lay  mezzotinto  prints  on  glass               ».           284  84:  ~ 

To  procure  animalcuiae  for  the  microscope            286  85 

To  write  in  gold  letters,  on  iron  or  steel     .             290  90 

To  write  on  silver  in  black,  which  will  never  go  off  292  91. 
To  prevent  wine  from  fust  ing,  and  to  give  ic  both 

a  taste  and  flavour  quite  agreeable       .             294.  91 

To  make  a  sweet  wine  of  a  very  agreeable  flavour  295  91  s 

To  give  .wine  a  most  agreeable  flavour        .             296  92 
To  cure  those  who  are  too  much  addicted  to 

drinking  wine                .             .             .             301  93 
To  prevent  one  from  getting  intoxicated  with- 

drinkmg            ....             302  93 
To  make  people  drunk  without  endangering  their 

health                .             .              .             .              303  93 

To  recover  a  person  from  intoxication       .             304  53 

To  prevent  the  breath  from  smelling  of  wine         305  93 

To  preserve  good  wine  to  the  last               .             306  93 

To  make  good  wine  vinegar  in  a  short  time           307  93 
To  make  good  strong  vinegar  with  the  worst  of 

wines   .....            so 8  94 

To  turn  wine  into  vinegar              .             .             309  94 

To :  restore  wine  to  its  first  taste      .            .             31O  94 

To  render  vinegar  alkali     .             -             .             312  94 

To  make  in  one  hour  good  rose  vinegar     .             sis  P4 

To  ma,ke.  good  vinegar  in  an  instant          .            314  <*± 


tfi  CONTENTS. 

No.  Pitgs 

To  operate  the  same  in  one  hour's  time,  on  a  lar- 
ger quantity     ....             215  95 
The  receipt  of  the  vinegar  called  the  grand  con- 
stables Vinegar            .             .            .            316  95 
To  increase  the  strength   and  sharpness  of  the 

vinegar              .             .             .             .             317  95 
The  secret  for  making  good  vinegar,  given  by  a 

vinegar  man  in  Paris  -  .  .  318  95 
To  make  vinegar  with  water  .  .  319  96 
To  make  good  vinegar  with  spoiled  wine  .  S20  96 
To  make  a  dry  portable  vinegar  .  ••  S21  90 
To  make  a  rosboiis  (hat  may  serve  as  a  founda- 
tion for  other  liquors  .  .  Sa2  96 
To  make  raspberry,  strawberry,  cherry  or  other 

£uch  waters      ....             323  97 

To  make  lemonade  water  at  a  cheap  rate    .            S24  97 

To  make  apricot  water       .                                       S25  97 

To  make  exceeding  good  lemonade             .            326  97 

To  make  a  cooling  cinnacnon  water            .            s<27  97 

To  make  annisted  water     .            .             .             $28  98 

To  make  juniper  water       .             .             .            329  98 

To  make  good  hydromel  otherwise  mathiglen        3 SO  98 

To  make  angelic  water        .            .            .            331  98 

To  make  cinnamon  water                .            ;             332  99 

To  draw  the  essential  oil  of  roses    .            .            343  102 
To  make  mutton  suit  candles    in  imitation  of 

wax  candles     -            -            *jL        ,            348  103 

To  make  soap        -            .    .         ..                       349  103 

To  prevent  any  thing  burning  in  thfe  fire    .             350  104 

To  prevent  burning  one's  fingers  kfeelted  lead       351  104 

To  kill  all  sorts  of  worms  in  cattle             .             353  104 

To  kill  maggots  in  sheep     .             •             .             354  104 

To  make  an  imitation  of  coffee        .            .             353  105 
The  odouring  snuff  after  the  method  practised  at 

Rome                ,             .             .             .              389  115 

The  snuff  with  the  odour  of  civet            .            390  115 

The  amber  snuff     ....            391  115 

The  odouring  snuff  Maltese  fashion              .            392  115 

The  true  Maltese  method  of  preparing  snuff          393  115 

The  Spanish  method  of  perfuming  snuff     .            394  116 

To  give  a  red  or  yellow  colour  to  snuff       .             395  1 1 6 

To  take  off  iron  moulds  from  linen             .            39^  117 

To  take  off  carriage  wheel  grease  from  cloaths        397  117 

To  take  out  pitch  and  turpentine  spots     •           401  US 
TO  restore  gold  and  silver  lace  to  their  former 

beauty            ....            404  118 


CONTENTS.  xai 

No.  Page 

To  make  tapestries  resume  their  first  brightness 
when  their  colour  has  been  tarnished  and 

spoiled              ....             406  US 
To  take  off  spots  of  wax  from  velvet  or  any  other 

colour,  except  crimson                                        407  119 
To  wash  a  gold  or  silver,  or  silk  embroidery,  or 

any  stuff  whatever,  and  render  it  like  new       408  119 

To  revive  the  colour  of  a  cloth             .  -                409  119 

To  take  the  spots  off  from  a  white  cloth       -        410  119 

To  make  bitter  almond  buiscuits              -              420  131 
To  purify  olive  oil,  so  that  it  may  be  eaten  with 

pleasure                                                               421  1 S 1 
To  make  sage,  parsley,  or  pennyroyal  butter         422  131 
To  make  acandle  tfoat  will  last  long                         423  131 
To  make  the  distilled  oil  out  of  any  herb,  seed, 
flower,  or  paper,  in  a  moment,  without  a  fur- 
nace            -                             -                              424  131 
The  virtues  of  a  crust  of  bread,  eat  in  a  morning 

fasting  ;  published  by  an  eminent  physician      430  143 

To  purify  butter,  and  make  it  of  a  most  bweet  taste  4  3 1  143 

To  whiten  wax             ....      432  144 

To  make  white  green  ivory                         -            433  144 

Tortoise  shell  of  horn            ...        435  144 

To  impress  figures  in  imitation  of  porcelain          436  144 
To  prepare  a  mould  that  need  hot  be  heated  to  cast 

metal  in             ....           437  145 

To  make  tin  flow  easy            -            -            -        441  145 

To  solder  horn                         -            -                    443  145 
To  etch  upon  either  knives  or  sword  blades.    To 

prepare  the  etch  water                                       446  146 

To  make  the  ground                          -             -           447  14£ 

To  etch  a  great  number  of  knives  together        -     448  1 46 

To  make  blue  letters  on  sword  blades            -         449  146 

To  take  casts  of  metals           -           -                  478  178 

V. 

Tarnish  fine  and  white                                      ;          63  28 
Varnish  to  prevent  the  rays  of  the  sun  from  pass- 
ing through  the  panes  of  window  glass             64  28 
Varnish  to  lay  on  after  isinglass        .         .        .        70  3d 

Varnish  water  proof 71  SO 

Varnish  made  by  Callot       ".        ,         .         %         72  31 

Varnish  to  lay  on  paper         .        .          .         .         73  31 

Varnish  for  rendering  silk  water  and  air  tight            89  3€ 

Varnish  for  toilet  boxes>  cases,  fans,  &c.          .         92  sr 

Varnish  for  violins  and  other  musical  instruments    93  3*7 


xiv  CONTENTS. 

We. 

Varnish  seed  lac         .         .          .         .                   94  37 

Varnish  shell -lac          .....         95  37 

Varnish  a  chimney         .         .         .         .         .          146  >50 
Varnish  which  suits  all  sorts  of  prints  and  pic- 
ture-; stands  water,  and  makes  the  work 

shining  as  glass 147  50 

Varnish  to  he  laid  on  gilding  and  silvering                238  75 

Virginal  miik           .             .             .                          347  103 

W. 

Whiten  iron  like  silver  .  .  .  IS  17 

Whiten  copper  so  as  to  make  fine  figures  with  it  44  23 

Write  on  paper  with  letters  of  gold  .  96  3S 

Whiten  brass  or  copper  by  boiling  .  104  41 
Whole  process  of  making  ultramine  wash  to  clean 

pictures 128  47 

White  for  printers  which  may  be  preserved  for 

ever 132  48 

White  for  ladies  paint  .  .  •  133  48 

Water  to  gild  iron  ...  228  73 

Wafers  ....  *  438  145 

Water  to  tin  all  sorts  of  metals,  but  especially  iron  440  146 

Wood  cast  in  moulds  as  fine  as  ivory  .  451  ]47 

White  varnish  for  clock  faces  »  .  .  452  147 


SECRETS 


ARTS  and  TRADES. 


1.    CALICO  PRINTING. 

/ALICO  printing  is  the  art  of  communicating  different 
colours  to  particular  ?pots,  or  figures,  on  the  surface  of  cot- 
ton or  linen  cloth,  while  the  rest  of  the  stuff  retains  its  origi- 
nal whiteness. 

This  ingenious  art  seems  to  have  originated  in  India,  where 
we  know  it  has  been  practised  for  more  than  2000  years.  It 
has  but  lately  been  cultivated  in  Europe,  but  the  enlightened 
industry  of  our  manufacturers  has  already  improved  prodig- 
iously upon  the  tedious  processes  of  their  Indian  masters.  No 
art  has  arisen  to  perfection  with  greater  celerity :  a  hundred 
years  ago  it  was  scarcely  known  in  Europe;  at  present,  the 
elegance  of  the  patterns,  the  beauty  and  permanency  of  the 
colours,  and  the  expedition  with  which  the  different  operati- 
ons are  carried  on,  are  really  admirable. 

Calico  printing  consi  ts  in  impregnating  those  parts  of  the 
cloth  which  are  to  receive  a  colour?  with  a  mordant,  and  then 
dyeing  it  as  usual  with  some  dye  stuff  or  other.  The  dye  stuff 
attaches  itself  firmly  only  to  that  part  of  the  cloth  which  has 
received  the  mordant.  The  whole  surface  of  the  cotton  is 
indeed  mare  or  less  tinged,  but  by  washing  it,  and  bleaching 
it  for  some  days  on  the  grass,  with  the  wrong  side  uppermost, 
all  the  unmordanted  parts  resume  their  original  colour,  while 
those  which  have  received  the  mordant  retain  if.  Let  us  sup- 
pose that  a  piece  of  white  cotton  cloth  is  to  receive  red 
stripes  ail  the  parts  where  the  stripes  are  to  appear  are  pen- 
cilled over  with  a  solution  of  acetite  of  alumine  ;  after  this, 
the  cloth  is  dyed  in  the  usual  manner  with  madder.  Whea 
taken  out  of  th^  Hvpinv*  VPSS/*!  ifr  is  allnf  a  rprl  rnlnnr.  Knf  hv 


SECRDTS  5N  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

and  bleaching,  the  madder  leaves  every  part  of  the 
cioch  >sh:.tc,  excepi  ihe  .stripes  impregnated  with  the  acetite 
of  alumine,  which  remain  red.  In  the  same  manner  may  yel- 
low stripes,  or  any  other  wished-for  figure,  be  given  to  cloth, 
by  substituting  quercitron  bark,  weld,  &c.  for  madder. 

When  different  colours  are  to  be  given  to  different  parts 
of  the  cloth  at  the  same  time,  it  is  done  by  impregnating  it 
with  various  merdants.  Thus,  if  stripes  be  drawn  upon  a 
cotton  cloth  with  acetite  of  alumine,  and  other  stripes  with 
acetite  of  iron,  and  the  cloth  be  afterwards  dyed  in  the  usual 
way  with  madder,  and  then  washed  and  bleached,  it  will  be 
striped  red  and  brown.  The  same  mordants  with  quercitron 
bark,  give^//o<u;  and  olive)  or  drab* 

The  mordants  employed  in  calico  printing  are  acetite  of 
alumine,  and  acetite  of  iron,  prepared  in  the  manner  describ- 
ed. These  mordants  are  applied  to  the  cloth,  either  with  a 
pencil,  or  by  means  of  blocks,  on  which  the  pattern,  accord- 
ing to  which  the  cotton  is  to  be  printed,  is  cut.  As  they  are 
applied  only  to  particular  parts  of  the  cloth,  care  must  be 
taken  that  none  of  them  spread  to  the  part  of  the  cloth  which 
is  to  be  left  white,  and  that  they  do  not  interfere  with  one  an- 
other when  more  than  one  are  applied.  If  these  precautions 
be  not  attended  to,  all  the  elegance  and  beauty  of  the  print 
must  be  destroyed.  It  is  necessary,  therefore,  that  the  mor- 
dants should  be  of  such  a  degree  of  consistence,  that  they 
will  not  spread  beyond  those  parts  of  the  cloth  on  which 
they  are  applied.  This  is  done  by  thickening  them  with  flour 
or  starch,  when  they  are  to  be  applied  by  the  block  ;  and  with 
gum-arabic,  when  they  are  to  be  put  on  by  a  pencil.  The 
thickening  should  never  be  greater  than  is  sufficient  to  pre- 
vent the  spreading  of  the  mordants ;  when  carried  too  far, 
the  cotton  is  apt  not  to  be  tufficiently  saturated  with  the 
jnordants;  of  course  the  dye  takes  but  imperfectly. 

In  order  that  the  parts  of  the  cloth  impregnated  with  mor- 
dants may  be  distinguished  by  their  colour,  it  is  usual  to  tinge 
the  mordants  with  some  colouring  matter  or  other.  The 
printers  commonly  use  the  decoction  of  Brazil-wood  for  this 
purpose;  but  Dr.  BANCROFT  has  objected  to  this  method, 
because  he  thinks  that  the  Brazil-wood  colouring  matter  im- 
pedes the  subsequent  process  of  dyeing.  It  is  certain,  that 
the  colouring  matter  of  the  Brazil-wood  is  displaced  during 
that  operation,  by  the  superior  affinity  of  the  dye  stuff  for 
the  mordants.  Were  it  not  for  this  superior  affinity,  the 
colour  would  not  take  at  all.  Dr.  BANCROFT  advises  to 
colour  the  mordant  with  some  of  the  dye  stuff  afterwards 
to  be  applied ;  and  he  cautions  the  using  of  more  for  that 
purpose,  than  is  sufficient  to  make  the  mordant  distinguishable 
when  applied  to  the  cloth.  The  reason  of  this  precaution  is 
obvious.  If  too  much  dye  be  mixed  with  the  mordant,  a 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  3 

great  proportion  of  the  mordant  will  be  combined  with  col- 
ouring matter,  which  must  weaken  its  affinity  for  the  cloth, 
and  of  course  prevent  it  from  combining  with  it,  in  sufficient 
quantity  to  ensure  a  permanent  dye. 

Sometimes  these  two  mordants  are  mixed  together  in  dif- 
ferent proportions;  and  sometimes  one  or  both  is  mixed  with 
an  infusion  of  sumach,  or  of  nut-galls.  By  these  contrivances, 
a  great  variety  of  colours  are  produced  by  the  same  dye  stuff. 

After  the  mordants  have  been  applied,  the  cloth  must  be 
completely  dried.  It  is  proper  for  this  purpose  to  employ  ar- 
tificial heat,  which  will  contribute  something  towards  the  se- 
paration of  the  acetous  acid  from  its  base,  and  towards  its 
evaporation,  by  which  the  mordant  will  combine  in  a  greater 
proportion,  and  more  intimately  with  the  cloth. 

When  the  cloth  is  sufficiently  dried,  it  is  to  be  washed  with 
warm  water  and  cow-dung,  till  all  the  flour,  or  gum,  em- 
ployed to  thicken  the  mordants,  and  all  those  parts  of  the 
mordants  which  are  uncombined  with  the  cloth,  be  removed. 
The  cow-dung  serves  to  entangle  these  loose  parts  of  the 
mordants,  and  to  prevent  them  from  combining  with  those 
parts  of  the  cloth  which  are  to  remain  white.  After  this,  the 
cloth  is  thoroughly  rinsed  in  clean  water.  Almost  the  only 
dye  stuffs  employed  by  calico  printers,  are  indigo,  madder, 
and  quercitron  bark,  or  weld.  This  last  substance,  however, 
is  but  little  used  by  the  printers  of  this  country,  except  for 
delicate  greenish  yellows.  The  quercitron  bark  has  almost 
superseded  it,  because  it  gives  colours  equally  good,  and  is 
much  cheaper  and  more  convenient,  not  requiring  so  great  a 
heat  to  fix  it  Indigo  not  requiring  any  mordant,  is  common- 
ly applied  at  once,  either  with  a  block  or  a  pencil.  It  id  pre- 
pared by  boiling  together  indigo,  potash  made  caustic  by 
quick-lime,  and  orpiment ;  the  solution  is  afterwards  thick- 
ened with  gum.  It  must  be  carefully  secluded  from  the  air, 
otherwise  the  indigo  would  soon  be  regenerated,  which  would 
render  the  solution  useless.  Dr.  BANCROFT  has  proposed  to 
substitute  coarse  brown  sugar  for  orpiments :  it  is  equally  ef- 
ficacious in  decomposing  the  indigo,  and  rendering  it  soluble  3 
while  it  likewise  serves  all  the  purposes  of  gum. 

When  the  cloth,  after  being  impregnated  with  the  mordant, 
is  sufficiently  cleansed,  it  is  dyed  in  the  usual  manner.  The 
whole  of  it  is  more  or  less  tinged  with  the  dye  stuff.  It  is 
well  washed,  and  then  spread  out  for  some  days  on  the  grass, 
and  bleached  with  the  wrong  side  uppermost.  This  carries 
the  colour  off  completely  from  all  the  parts  of  the  cotton 
which  have  not  imbibed  the  mordant,  and  leaves  them  of 
their  original  whiteness,  while  the  mordanted  spots  retain  the 
dye  as  strongly  as  ever. 

Let  us  now  give  an  example  or  two  of  the  manner  in  which 
the  printers  give  particular  colours  to  calicoes.  Some  ca.Ii* 


4  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

coes  are  only  printed  of  one  colour,  others  have  two,  others 
three  or  more,  even  to  the  number  of  eight,  ten,  or  twelve. 
The  smaller  the  number  of  colours,  the  fewer  in  general  are 
the  processes. 

1.  One  of  the  most  common  colours  on  cotton  prints  is  a 
kind  of  nankeen  yellow,  of  various  shades  down  to  a  deep 
yellowish  brown,  or  drab.    It  is  usually  in  stripes  or  spots. 
To  produce  it,  the  printers  besmear  a  block,  cut  out  into  the 
figure  of  the  print,  with  acetite  of  iron,  thickened  with  gum 
©r  flour ;  and  then  apply  it  to  the  cotton,  which,  after  being 
dried  and  cleansed  in  the  usual  manner,  is  plunged  into  a 
potash  ley.     The  quantity  of  acetite  of  iron  is  always  pro- 
portioned to  the  depth  of  the  shade. 

2.  For  yellow,  the  block  is  besmeared  with  acetite  of  alu- 
mine.    The  cloth,  after  receiving  this  mordant,  is  dyed  with 
quercitron  bark,  and  then  bleached. 

3.  Red  is  communicated  by  the  same  process ;  only  madder 
is  substituted  for  the  bark. 

4.  The  fine  light  blues  which  appear  so  often  on  printed 
cottons,  are  produced  by  applying  to  the  cloth,  a  block  be- 
smeared with  a  composition,  consisting  partly  of  wax,  which 
covers  all  those  parts  of  the  cloth  which  are  to  remain  white. 
The  cloth  is  then  dyed  in  a  cold  indigo  vat ;  and  after  it  is  dry, 
the  wax  composition  is  removed  by  hot  water. 

5.  Lilac  fiea  brown,  and  blackish  brown,   are  given  by 
means  of  acetite  of  iron  ;  the  quantity  of  which  is  always 
proportioned  to  the  depth  of  the  shade.     For  very  deep  col- 
ours, a  little  sumach  is  added.     The  cotton  is  afterward  dyed 
in  the  usual  manner  with  madder,  and  then  bleached. 

6.  Dove  colour  and  drab,  by  acetite  of  iron  and  quercitron 
bark. 

When  different  colours  are  to  appear  in  the  same  print,  a 
greater  number  of  operations  are  necessary.  Two  or  more 
blocks  are  employed,  upon  each  of  which,  that  part  of  the 
print  only  is  cut,  which  is  to  be  of  some  particular  colour. 
These  are  besmeared  with  different  mordants,  and  applied  to 
the  cloth,  which  is  afterwards  dyed  as  usual.  Let  us  suppose, 
for  instance,  that  these  blocks  are  applied  to  cotton,  one  with 
acetite  of  alumine,  another  with  acetite  of  iron,  a  third  with 
a  mixture  of  those  two  mordants,  and  that  the  cotton  is  then 
dyed  with  quercitron  bark,  and  bleached.  The  parts  impreg- 
nated with  the  mordants  would  have  the  following  colours. 

Acetite  of  alumine,  Yellow. 

iron,  Olive,  drab,  dove. 

The  mixture,  Olive  green,  olive. 

If  part  of  the  yellow  be  covered  over  with  the  indigo  li- 
quor, applied  with  a  pencil,  it  will  be  converted  into  green, 
By  the  same  liquid,  blue  may  be  given  to  such  parts  of  the 
print  as  require  it. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES-  3 

If  the  cotton  be  dyed  with  madder,  instead  of  quercitron 
bark,  the  print  will  exhibit  the  following  celours. 
Acetite  of  alumine,  Red, 

iron,  Brown,  black. 

The  mixture,  Purple. 

When  a  greater  number  of  colours  are  to  appear;  for  in- 
stance, when  those  communicated  by  bark,  and  those  by  mad- 
der, are  wanted  at  the  same  time,  mordants  for  part  of  the 
pattern  are  to  be  applied  ;  the  cotton  is  then  to  be  dyed  in 
the  madder  bath,  and  bleached ;  then  the  rest  of  the  mor- 
dants, to  fill  up  the  pattern,  are  added,  and  the  cloth  is  again 
dyed  with  quercitron  bark,  and  bleached.  The  second  dye- 
ing does  not  much  affect  the  madder  colours ;  because  the 
mordants,  which  render  them  permanent,  are  already  saturat- 
ed. The  yellow  tinge  is  easily  removed  by  the  subsequent 
bleaching.  Sometimes  a  new  mordant  is  also  applied  to  some 
of  the  madder  colours,  in  consequence  of  which,  they  re- 
ceive a  new  permanent  colour  from  the  bark.  After  the  last 
bleaching,  new  colours  may  be  added  by  means  of  the  indigo 
liquor.  The  following  table  will  give  an  idea  of  the  colours, 
which  may  be  given  to  cotton  by  these  complicated  proces- 
ses. 

I.  Madder  Dje, 

Colours.  ? 

Acetite  of  alumine,  Red, 

iron,  Brown,  black. 

. diluted,  Lilac. 

Both,  mixed,  Purple. 

II.  Bark  Djc- 

Acetite  of  alumine,  Yellow. 

iron,  Dove,  drab. 

Lilac  and  acctite  of  alumine,  Olive. 

Red  and  acetite  of  alumine,  Orange. 

III.  Indigo  Dye. 

Indigo,  Blue. 

Indigo  and  yellow,  Green. 

Thus  no  less  than  1 2  colours  may  be  made  to  appear  togeth* 
erin  the  same  print,  by  these  different  processes. 

These  instances  will  serve  to  give  the  reader  an  idea  of  the 
nature  of  calico  printing,  and  at  the  same  time  afford  an  ex- 
cellent illustration  of  the  importance  of  mordants  in  dyeing. 

If  it  were  possible  to  procure  colours  sufficiently  perma- 
nent, by  applying  them  at  once  to  the  cloth  by  the  block  of 
pencil,  as  is  the  case  with  the  mordants;  the  art  of  calico 
*  2 


i>  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

printing  would  be  brought  to  the  greatest  possible  simplicity  ^ 
but  at  present,  this  can  only  lie  done  in  one  case,  that  of  in- 
digo ;  every  other  colour  requires  dyeing.  Compositions,  in- 
deed, may  be  made,  by  previously  combining  the  dye  stuff 
and  the  mordants.  Thus  yellow  may  be  applied  at  once,  by 
employing  a  mixture  of  the  infusion  of  quercitron  bark  and 
acetite  of  alumine;  red>  by  mixing  the  same  mordant  with  the 
decoction  of  alumine,  and  so  on.  The  colours  applied  in 
this  way,  are,  unfortunately,  far  inferior  in  permanency  to 
those  produced  when  the  mordant  is  previously  combined 
with  the  cloth,  and  the  dye  stuff  afterwards  applied  separate- 
ly. In  this  way  are  applied  almost  all  the  fugitive  colours  of 
calicoes,  which  washing,  or  even  exposure  to  the  air,  des- 
troys. 

As  the  application  of  colours  in  this  way  cannot  always  be 
avoided  by  calico  printers,  every  method  of  rendering  them 
more  permanent  is  an  object  of  importance. 

2.    BLEACHING  OF  COTTON. 

Cotton  is  a  filamentous  substance,  or  a  kind  of  down 
which  envelopes  the  seeds  of  the  cotton  plant.  This  plant 
or  shrub  comes  from  the  east,  and  grows  only  in  warm  clim- 
ates. 

This  substance,  after  being  separated  from  the  seeds,  is  al- 
ways charged  with  a  coarse  colouring  matter,  which  soils  it, 
and  renders  it  opaque.  The  presence  of  this  unctuous  mat- 
ter is  proved  by  the  slowness  with  which  cotton  absorbs  water 
"before  it  is  scoured,  and  by  the  force  with  which  it  absorbs  it 
after  the  operation  ;  by  which  means,  from  being  opaque,  it 
5s  rendered  clear  and  transparent. 

Cotton  varies  a  great  deal  in  its  qualities,  according  to  the 
different  kinds,  the  climate  where  produced,  and  the  culture 
employed.  Its  colour  is  sometimes  yellow,  and  sometimes 
white,  but,  in  general,  it  is  of  a  dirty  yellow. 

To  bleach  it,  does  not  require  the  same  preparations  as 
hemp  and  flax.  The  first  operation  consists  in  scouring  it  in 
a  slight  alkaline  solution,  or,  what  is  better,  by  exposure  to 
steam.  It  is  afterwards  put  into  a  basket,  and  rinsed  in  run- 
ning water.  The  immersing  of  cotton  in  an  alkaline  ley, 
however  it  be  rinsed,  always  leaves  with  it  an  earthy  deposit. 
It  is  well  known  that  cotton  bears  the  actions  of  acids  better 
than  hemp  or  flax  ;  that  time  is  even  necessary  before  the 
action  of  them  can  be  prejudical  to  it,  and  by  taking  advan- 
tage of  this  valuable  property  in  regard  to  bleaching,  means 
have  been  found  to  free  it  from  the  earthy  deposit,  by  pressing 
clown  the  cotton  in  a  very  weak  solution  of  sulphuric  acid, 
and  afterwards  removing  the  acid  by  washing,  le§t  too  long 
in  it  should  destroy  the  cotton, 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 


s.    BLEACHING  OF  PAPER. 

The  oxygenated  muriatic  acid  has  also  been  applied  to  the 
bleaching  of  paper,  which  it  has  rendered  considerably  more 
expeditious. 

ii leaching  of  old  printed  papers,  to  be  worked  up  again.  Boil 
the  paper  for  an  instant  in  a  solution  of  soda,  rendered  caus- 
tic by  potash.  Steep  it  in  soap-water,  and  then  wash  it,  after 
which  the  paper  may  be  reduced  to  a  pulp  by  the  paper-mill. 

Bleaching  of  old  written  papers  to  be  worked  again.  Steep 
the  papers  in  a  cold  solution  of  sulphuric  acid  in  water,  after 
which  waoh  them  before  they  are  taken  to  the  mill.  If  the 
acidulated  water  be.  heated,  it  will  be  the  more  effectual. 

Bleaching  of  printed  papers  without  destroying  the  texture  of 
the  leaves.  Steep  the  leaves  in  a  caustic  solution  of  soda,  and 
afterwards  in  one  of  soap.  Arrange  the  sheets  alternately 
between  cloths,  in  the  same  manner  as  paper-maker-  dispose 
their  sheets  of  paper  when  delivered  from  the  form.  Put  the 
leaves  in  a  press,  and  they  will  become  whiter,  unless  they 
were  originally  loaded  with  printer's  ink  or  size.  If  this 
should  not  completely  effect  the  whitening  of  the  leaves,  re- 
peat the  process  a  second,  or  even  a  third  time. 

Bleaching  coloured  rags  to  make  white  paper.  Soak  or  mace- 
rate the  rags  sufficiently — put  them  into  a  solution  of  caustic 
alkali,  and  then  into  the  oxygenated  muriatic  acid,  and  lastly 
Steep  them  in  diluted  sulphuric  acid. 

4.    OF  ENGRAVING. 

Engraving,  or  graving  as  it  is  generally  called,  is  cutting 
lines  upon  a  copper-plate,  by  means  of  a  steel  instrument, 
called  a  graver,  without  the  use  of  aqua  fortis. 

This  was  the  first  way  of  producing  copper-plate  prints 
that  was  practised,  and  is  still  much  used  in  historical  sub- 
jects, portraits,  and  in  finishing  landscapes. 

The  tools  necessary  for  this  art  are,  gravers,  a  scraper,  a 
burnisher,  an  oil  stone,  a  sand  bag,  an  oil  rubber,  and  some 
good  charcoal 

The  gravers  are  instruments  of  tempered  steel,  fitted  into 
a  short  wooden  handle.  They  are  of  two  sorts,  square  and 
lozenge  ;  the  first  is  used  in  cutting  very  broad  strokes,  the 
other  for  fainter  and  more  delicate  lines. 

The  scraper  is  a  three-edged  tool,  for  scraping  off  the  buns 
jaised  by  the  graver.  Burnishers  are  for  rubbing  down  any 
lines  that  are  too  deep,  or  burnishing  out  any  scratches  or 
holes  in  the  copper  :  they  are  of  very  hard  steel,  well  round- 
ed and  polished. 

The  oil  stone  j§  for  whetting  the  gravers,  etching  points,&c, 


*  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

The  sand-bag,  or  cushion,  is  for  laying  the  plate  upon,  for 
the  conveniency  of  turning  it  round  in  any  direction. 

The  oil-rubber  and  charcoal  are  for  polishing  the  plate 
when  necessary, 

As  great  care  is  required  to  whet  the  graver  nicely,  partic- 
ularly the  belly  of  it,  care  must  be  taken  to  lay  the  two  an- 
gles of  the  graver  which  are  to  be  held  next  the  plate  flat 
upon  the  stone,  and  rub  them  steadily,  till  the  belly  rises 
gradually  above  the  plate,  so  as  that,  when  you  lay  the  gra- 
ver flat  upon  it,  you  may  just  perceive  the  light  under  the 
point ;  otherwise  it  will  dig  into  the  copper,  and  then  it  will 
be  impossible  to  keep  a  point,  or  execute  the  work  with  free- 
dom. In  order  to  this,  keep  your  right  arm  close  to  your 
side,  and  place  the  fore  finger  of  your  left  hand  upon  that 
part  of  the  graver  which  lies  upermort  on  the  stone.  When 
this  is  done,  in  order  to  whet  the  face,  place  the  flat  part  of 
the  handle  in  the  hollow  of  your  hand,  with  the  belly  of  the 
graver  upwards,  upon  a  moderate  slope,  and  rub  the  extrem- 
ity, or  face,  upon  the  stone,  till  it  has  an  exceedingly  sharp 
point,  which  you  may  try  upon  your  thumb-nail. 

When  the  graver  is  too  hard,  as  is  usually  the  case  when 
first  bought,  and  may  be  known  by  the  frequent  breaking  of 
the  point,  the  method  of  tempering  it  is  as  follows  :  Heat  a 
poker  red-hot,  and  hold  the  graver  upon  it,  within  half  an 
inch  of  the  point,  till  the  steel  changes  to  a  li^ht  straw  col* 
our ;  then  put  the  point  into  oil,  to  cool ;  or,  hold  the  gra- 
ver close  to  the  flame  of  a  candle,  till  it  be  of  the  same  colour, 
and  cool  it  in  the  tallow  ;  but  be  careful  either  way,  not  to 
hold  it  too  long,  for  then  it  will  be  too  soft ;  and  in  this  case, 
the  point,  which  will  then  turn  blue,  must  be  tempered  again. 
Be  not  too  hasty  in  tempering ;  for  sometimes  a  little  whet- 
ting will  bring  it  to  a  good  condition,  when  it  is  but  a  little 
too  hard. 

To  hold  the  graver,  cut  off  that  part  of  the  handle  which 
is  upon  the  same  line  with  the  belly,  or  sharp  edge  of  the 
graver,  making  that  side  flat,  that  it  may  be  no  obstruction. 

Hold  the  handle  in  the  hollow  of  your  hand ;  and,  extend- 
ing your  fore  finger  towards  the  point,  let  it  rest  on  the  back 
of  the  graver,  that  you  may  guide  it  flat  and  parallel  with  the 
plate.  Take  care  that  your  fingers  do  not  interpose  between 
the  plate  and  the  graver  ;  for  they  will  hinder  you  from  car- 
rying the  graver  level  with  the  plate,  and  from  cutting  your 
Strokes  so  clean  as  they  ought  to  be. 

To  lay  the  design  upon  the  plate,  after  you  have  polished 
it,  fine  and  smooth,  heat  it  so  that  it  will  melt  virgin-wax, 
with  which  rub  it  thinly  and  equally  over,  and  let  it  cool. 
Then  the  design  which  you  lay  on,  must  be  drawn  on  paper, 
with  a  black-lead  percil,  and  laid  upon  the  plate,  with  its 
penciled  side  upon  the  wax,  then  press  it  to,  and  with  a  bur* 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRASDE  9 

nisher  go  over  every  part  of  the  design,  and  when  you  take 
off  the  paper,  you  will  find  every  line  which  you  drew  with 
the  black-lead  pencil  upon  the  waxed  plate,  as  if  it  had  been 
drawn  ;  then  with  a  sharp  pointed  tool  trace  all  your  design 
through  the  wax  upon  the  plate,  and  you  may  then  take  off 
the  wax,  and  proceed  to  work. 

Let  the  table,  or  board  you  work  at,  be  firm  and  steady, 
upon  which  place  your  sand  bag  with  the  plate  upon  it ; 
and,,  holding  the  graver  as  above  directed,  proceed  in  the 
following  manner : 

For  straight  stroke-,  hold  your  plate  firm  upon  the  sand- 
bag with  your  left  hand,  moving  your  right  hand  forwards  ; 
leaning  lighter  where  the  strokes  should  be  fine,  and  harder 
where  you  would  have  it  broader. 

For  circular  or  crooked  strokes,  hold  the  graver  stedfast, 
moving  your  hand  or  the  plate,  as  you  see  convenient. 

Learn  to  carry  your  hand  with  such  dexterity,  that  you 
may  end  your  stroke  as  finely  as  you  began  it ;  and  if  you 
have  occasion  to  make  one  part  deeper  or  blacker  than  an- 
other, do  it  by  degrees  ;  and  that  you  may  do  it  with  great- 
er exactness,  take  care  that  your  strokes  be  not  too  close,  nor 
too  wide. 

In  the  course  of  your  work  scrape  off  the  roughness  which 
arises,  with  your  semper ;  but  be  careful,  in  doing  this,  not 
to  scratch  the  plate ;  and  that  you  may  see  your  work  pro- 
perly as  you  go  on,  rub  it  with  the  oil-rubber,  and  wipe  the 
plate  clean,  which  will  take  off  the  glare  of  the  copper,  and 
shew  what  you  have  done  to  the  best  advantage. 

Any  mistakes  or  scratches  in  the  plate  may  be  rubbed  out 
with  the  burnisher,  and  the  part  levelled  with  the  scraper, 
polishing  it  again  afterwards  lightly  with  the  burnisher,  or 
charcoal. 

Having  thus  attained  the  use  of  the  graver,  according  to 
the  foregoing  rules,  you  will  be  able  to  finish  the  piece  you 
had  etched,  by  graving  up  the  several  parts  to  the  colour  re- 
quired ;  beginning,  a:>  in  the  etching,  with  the  fainter  parts, 
and  advancing  gradually  with  the  stronger,  till  the  whole  is 
completed. 

The  dry  point  or  needle  (so  called  because  not  used  till  the 
ground  is  taken  off  the  plate)  is  principally  employed  in  the 
extremely  light  parts  of  water,  <ky,  drapery,  architecture,  &c. 

To  prevent  any  obstruction  from  too  great  a  degree  of 
light,  the  ire  of  a  ;-a-sh,  made  of  transparent,  or  fan  paper, 
pa  ted  on  a  frame,  and  placed  sloping  at  a  convenient  dis- 
tance between  your  work  and  the  light,  will  preserve  the 
sight ;  and  when  the  sun  shines,  it  cannot  possibly  be  dupen* 
scd  with* 


10  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 


5.     The  Method  of  Etching  Copper  Plates. 

Etching  i-;  a  manner  of  engraving  on  copper,  in  which  the 
lines  or  strokes,  instead  of  being  cut  with  a  tool  or  graver, 
are  corroded  in  with  aqua  fortis. 

It  is  a  much  later  invention  than  the  art  of  engraving  by 
cutting  the  lines  on  the  copper,  and  has  many  advantages  over 
it  for  some  purposes,  though  it  cannot  supersede  the  use  of 
the  graver  entirely,  as  there  are  many  things  that  cannot  be 
etched  so  well  as  they  can  be  graved. 

In  almost  all  the  engravings  on  copper  that  are  executed  in 
the  stroke  manner,  etching  and  graving  are  combined,  the 
plate  being  generally  begun  by  etching,  and  finished  with  the 
grayer.  Landscapes,  architecture,  and  machinery,  are  the 
subjects  that  receive  most  assist  ance  from  the  art  of  etching; 
for  it  is  not  so  applicable  to  portraits  and  historical  designs, 
though  in  these  also  a  great  deal  is  done  by  etching. 

We  shall  first  describe  the  various  instruments  and  mate* 
rials  u^ed  in  the  art. 

Copper-Plates  may  be  had  ready  prepared  at  the  copper- 
smiths, by  those  who  reside  in  large  towns  ;  but  when  this 
cannot  ^be  had,  procure  a  piece  of  pretty  thick  sheet-copper 
ffpm  a  brazier,  rather  larger  than  your  drawing,  and  let  him 
planish  it  well;  then  take  a  piece  of  pumicestone,  and  with 
water  rub  it  all  one  way,  till  the  surface  is  as  smooth  and  level 
as  it  can  be  made  by  that  means:  a  piece  of  charcoal  is  next 
used  with  water,  for  polishing  it  still  further,  and  removing 
the  deep  scratches  made  by  the  pumicestone;  and  it  is  then 
finished  with  a  piece  of  charcoal  of  a  finer  grain,  with  a  little 
oil. 

Etching-points  or  needles  are  pointed  instruments  of  steel, 
about  an  inch  long,  fixed  in  handles  of  hard  wood,  about  six 
inches  in  length,  and  of  the  size  of  a  goose-quill.  They 
should  be  well  tempered,  and  very  accurately  fixed  in  the 
centre  of  the  handle.  They  must  be  brought  to  an  accurate- 
ly conical  point,  by  rubbing  upon  an  oil~$tone,  with  which  the 
engraver  must  be  provided.  Several  of  these  points  will  be 
necessary. 

A  paralell-ruler  is  used  for  drawing  parallel  straight  lines 
with.  This  is  best  when  faced  with  brass,  as  it  is  not  then  so 
liable  to  be  bruised  by  accident. 

Compares  are  useful  for  striking  circles  and  measuring  dis- 


Aqua  /or///,  or  what  is  better,  spirits  of  nitre  (nitrous  acid), 
is  used  for  corroding  the  copper,  or  biting^)  as  it  is  called. 
This  must  be  kept  in  a  bottle  with  a  glass  stopple,  for  its  fumes 
destroy  corks.  A  stopple  made  of  wax  will  serve  as  a  substi- 
tute, or  a  cork  well  covered  with  wax.  Bordering-wax^  for 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  1 1 

surrounding  the  margin  of  the  copper-plate  when  the  aqua 
fortis  is  pouring  on.  This  may  be  bought  ready  prepared,  but 
it  may  be  made  as  follows. 

Take  one-third  of  bees-wax  to  two-thirds  of  pitch ;  melt 
them  in  an  iron  ladle,  and  pour  them,  when  melted,  into  water 
lukewarm ;  then  mould  it  with  your  hand  till  it  is  thoroughly 
incorporated,  and  all  the  water  squeezed  out.  Form  it  into 
rolls  of  convenient  size. 

Turpentine-varnish  is  used  for  covering  the  copper-plate 
with,  in  any  part  where  you  da  not  wish  the  aqua  fortis  to 
bite.  This  may  be  diluted  to  a  proper  consistence  with  tur- 
pentine, and  mixed  with  lamp-black,  that  it  may  be  seen  bet- 
ter when  laid  upon  the  plate. 

Etching-ground  is  used  for  covering  the  plate  all  over  with, 
previous  to  drawing  the  lines  on  it  with  the  needles.  It  is  pre- 
pared in  the  following  manner.  Take  of  virgin-wax  and  as- 
phaltum,  each  twenty  ounces,  of  black-pitch  and  Burgundy- 
pitch,  each  half  an  ounce;  melt  the  wax  and  pitch  in  a  new 
earthen-ware  glazed  pipkin,  and  add  to  them,  by  degrees, 
the  asphaltum  finely  powdered.  Let  the  whole  boil  till  such 
time  as  that,  by  taking  a  drop  upon  a  plate,  it  will  break 
when  it  is  cold,  on  bending  it  double  two  or  three  times  be- 
tween the  fingers.  The  varnish  being  then  enough  boiled, 
must  be  taken  off  from  the  fire,  and  letting  it  cool  a  litrte, 
must  be  poured  into  warm  water,  that  it  may  work  the  more 
easily  with  the  hands,  so  as  to  form  into  balls  for  use. 

It  must  be  observed,  first,  tfcat  the  fire  be  not  too  violent,; 
for  fear  of  burning  the  ingredients;  a  slight  simmenng  will  * 
be  sufficient;  secondly, . that  while  the  asphaltum  is  putting 
in,  and  even  after  it  is  mixed  with  them,  the  ingredients  should 
be  stirred  continually  with  a  spatula;  and  thirdly  that  the 
water  into  which  this  composition  is  threwn,  should  be  near- 
ly of  the  same  degree  of  warmth  with  it,  to  prevent  a  kind  of 
cracking,  which  happens  when  the  water  is  too  cold. 

The  varnish  ought  always  to  be  harder  in  summer  than 
winter,  and  it  will  become  so  if  it  be  suffered  to  boil  longer, 
or  if  a  greater  proportion  of  the  asphaltum  be  used.  The  ex- 
periment above  mentioned,  of  the  drop  suffered  to  cool,  will 
determine  the  degree  of  hardness  or  softness  that  may  be  suit- 
able to  the  season  when  it  is  used. 

To  lay  the  ground  for  etching,  proceed  in  the  following 
manner.  Having  cleaned  the  copper-plate  with  some  fine 
*  whiting  and  a  linen  rag,  to  free  it  from  all  grease,  fix  a  hand- 
vice  to  some  part  of  it  where  no  work  is  intended  to  be,  to 
serve  as  a  handle  for  managing  it  by  when  warm.  Roll  up 
some  coarse  brown  paper,  and  light  one  end ;  then  hold  the 
back  of  the  plate  over  the  burning  paper,  moving  it  about 
until  every  part  of  it  is  equally  heated,  so  as  to  melt  the  etch- 
ing-groundj  which  should  be  wrapped  up  in  a  bit  of  taffetyr, 


19  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

to  prevent  any  dirt,  th.it  ni;iy  li:ippeii  to  he  among  it,  from 
mixing  with  wh.it  is  im  Iteil  upon  the  pl.ile.  If  the  plate  be 
large,  it  will  be  best  to  he. it  it  over  a  ch;dmg-dish  uith  some 
rlcar  coah.  It  iiui'-t  be  heated  just  sufficient  to  melt  the 
ground,  but  not  so  mm  h  as  to  burn  it.  When  a  snllieient 
<jn;nility  of  the  etching-ground  ha;  been  nibbed  upon  the 
plate,  it  mu.t  In-  dabbed,  or  br.it  gently,  while  the  plate  is 
hot,  with  a  Kin. ill  dabber  made  of  eotton  wrapped  up  in  a 
pure  ol"  taffcty,  by  which  operation  the  ground  is  distributed, 
more  equally  over  the  plate  than  it  could  be  by  any  other, 

ma. 

\Vhen  the  plate  is  thus  uniformly  and  thinly  covered  with 
the  varnish,  it  inn -t  be  blackened  by  smoking  it  with  a  wax- 
lapcr.  V'or  this  purpose  twist  together  three  or  tour  pieces  of 
wax-taper  to  make  a  l.nv-rr  llamr,  and  while  the  plate  is  still 
vvaim,  hold  it  with  the  varnished  side  downward  ,  and  move 
the  .smoky  part  oi'  the  lighted  taper  over  its  surface,  till  it  is 
made  almost  quite  black  taking  can-  not  to  let  the  wick 
touch  the  varnish,  and  that  the  latter  get  no  smear  or  stain. 
In  laying  the  etching-ground,  great  care  must  be  taken  that 
no  pai ticks  of  dust  or  dirt  of  any  kind  settle  upon  it,  as  that 
would  be  found  very  trc.uhlesomc  in  etching  ;  the  room  there- 
fore in  which  it  is  laid  should  be  as  still  ay  possible,  and  free 
irom  dirt. 

The  ground  being  now  laid,  and  suffered  to  cool,  the  next 
t>pi  ration  is  to  transfer  the  design  to  the  plate. 

l;or  this  purpoM-  a  tracing  on  oiled  paper  rnu-t  now  be 
made  from  the  design  to  be  etched,  with  pen  and  ink,  having 
;i  vciy  small  quantity  of  ox's  gall  mixed  with  it,  to  make  the 
oiled  paper  take  it  ;  also  a  piece  of  thin  paper,  of  the  same 
si/.e,  inn  t  be  rubbed  over  with  red  chalk,  powdered,  by 
means  of  oine  cotton.  Then  laying  the  red  ci.alked  paper, 
\vith  its  chalked  •  ide  next  the  ground,  on  the  plate,  put  the 
tracing  ovei  it,  and  fasten  them  both  together,  and  to  the 
plate,  by  a  little  bit  of  the  bordering-wax. 

When  all  this  i,  prepared,  take  a  blunt  etching  needle,  nncl 
go  gently  all  over  the  lines  in  the  tracing;  by  which  means  the 
chalked  paper  will  be  piw.cd  again -t  the  ground,  anil  the 
lines  of  tin-tracing  will  be  tran  .'erred  to  it  :  on  taking  off  the 
papcis,  they  will  be  seen  distinctly. 

The  plate  is  now  prepared  for  drawing  through  the  lines 
which  have  been  marked  upon  the  gionnd.  I'or  thi^,  the  etch- 
ing-points or  needles  are  employed,  leaning  hard  or  lightly, 
.avoiding  to  the  degree  of  strength  required  in  the  lines. 
Points  o<"  different  si-/.e*  and  forms  are  also  used,  for  making 
lines  of  different  thickness,  though  commonly  this  ib  effected 
lay  the  biting-in  with  the  aqnn  fort  is. 

A  margin  or  border  of  wax  must  now  be  formed  all  round 
the  plate,  to  hold  the  aqua  ibrtw  when  it  is  poured  in.  To  do 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

this,  the  bordering-wax  already  described  must  be  put  into 
lukewarm  water  to  :-often  it,  and  render  it  easily  worked  by 
the  hand.  When  sufficiently  pliable,  it  must  be  drawn  out 
into  long  rolls,  and  put  round  the  edges  of  the  plate,  press- 
ing it  down  firm,  and  forming  it  with  t!.  into  a  neat 
wall  or  margin.  A  spout  must  be  formed  in  one  corner,  to 
pour  off  the  aqua  fort  is  by  afterwards. 

The  nitrous  acid  (.spirits  of  nitre)  is  now  to  be  diluted  with 
four  or  five  times  as  much  water,  or  more  (according  as  you 
wish  the  plate  to  be  bit  quick  or  slow),  and  poured  upon  the 
plate.  In  a  few  minutes  you  will  see  minute  bubbles  of  air 
filling  all  the  lines  that  have  been  drawn  on  the  copper,  which, 
are  to  be  removed  by  a  feather  ;  and  the  plate  must  b 
and  thcnjivfptj  as  it  is  called,  or  kept  free  from  air  bubble?. 
By  the  more  or  less  rapid  production  of  these  bubbles,  you 
judge  of  the  rapidity  with  which  the  acid  acts  upon  the  cop- 
per. The  biting-in  of  the  plate  is  the  most  uncertain  part  of 
the  process,  and  nothing  but  very  great  experience  can  enable 
any  one  to  tell  when  the  plate  is  bit  enough,  as  you  cannot 
ea-ily  see  the  thickness  and  depth  of  the  line  till  the  ground  is 
taken  off. 

When  you  judge,  from  the  time  the  acid  has  been  on,  and 
the  rapidity  of  the  biting,  that  those  lines  which  you  wish  to 
be  the  faintest  are  as  deep  as  you  wish,  you  pour  off  the  aqua 
fortis  by  the  spout,  wash  the  plate  with  water,  and  dry  it,  by 
blowing  with  bellows,  or  by  the  fire,  taking  care  not  to  melt 
the  ground. 

Those  lines  that  are  not  intended  to  be  bit  any  deeper,  must 
now  be  stopped  up  with  turpentine-varnish  mixed  with  a  little 
lamp-black,  and  laid  on  with  a  camel's  hair  pencil;  and  when 
this  is  thoroughly  dry,  the  aqua-fortis  may  be  poured  on  again, 
to  bite  the  other  lines  that  are  required  to  be  deeper. 

This  process  of  stopping  out  and  biting-in  is  to  be  repeated 
as  often  as  there  are  to  be  lines  of  different  degrees  of  thick- 
ness, taking  care  not  to  make  any  mistake  in  stopping-out 
wrong  lines. 

[t  is  also  necessary  to  be  particularly  careful  to  stop  out,  with 
the  varnish,  those  parts  from  which  the  groand  may  happen  to 
have  come  off  by  the  action  of  the  acid,  otherwise  you  will 
have  parts  bit  that  were  not  intended,  which  is  called  fou!  bit' 
ing. 

When  the  biting-in  is  quite  finished,  the  ne*t?  operation  is 
to  remove  the  bordering-wax  and  the  ground,  iri  order  that 
you  may  see  what  success  you  have  had;  for  till  then,  this  can- 
not be  known  exactly. 

To  take  off  the  bordering-wax,  the  plate  must  be  heated  by 
a  piece  of  lighted  paper,  which  softens  the  wax  in  contact 
with  the  plate,  and  occasions  it  to  come  off  quite  clean. 
C 


14  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

Oil  of  turpentine  is  now  poured  upon  the  ground,  and  the 
plate  is  rubbed  with  a  bit  of  linen  rag,  which  removes  all 
the  ground.  Lastly,  it  is  cleaned  off  with  whiting. 

The  success  of  the  etching  may  now  be  known,  but  it  is 
necessary  to  get  an  impression  taken  upon  paper  by  a  copper- 
plate printer.  This  impression  is  called  a  proof. 

If  any  parts  are  not  bit  so  deep  as  were  intended,  the  pro- 
cess may  be  repeated,  provided  the  lines  are  not  too  faintly 
bit  to  admit  of  it.  This  second  biting-in  the  same  lines,  is 
called  re  biting^  and  is  done  as  follows  :  Melt  a  little  of  the 
etching-ground  on  a  spare  piece  of  copper,  and  dab  it  a  little, 
to  get  some  on  the  dabber;  then,  having  cleaned  out  with 
whiting  the  lines  that  are  to  be  re-bit,  heat  the  plate  gently, 
and  dab  it  very  lightly  with  the  dabber.  By  this,  the  parts 
between  the  lines  will  be  covered  with  the  ground,  but  the 
lines  themselves  will  not  be  filled  up,  and  consequently  will 
be  exposed  to  the  action  of  the  aqua  fortis.  This  is  a'  very 
delicate  process,  and  must  be  performed  with  great  care. 
The  rest  of  the  plate  must  now  be  varnished  over,  the  bor- 
dering wax  put  on  again,  and  the  biting  repeated  in  the  same 
manner  as  at  first. 

If  any  part  should  be  bit  too  deep,  it  is  more  difficult  to 
recover  it,  or  make  it. fainter :  this  is  generally  done  by  bur- 
nishing the  part  down,  or  rubbing  it  with  a  piece  of  charcoal. 
This  will  make  the  lines  shallower,  and  cause  them  not  to 
print  so  black. 

Should  any  small  parts  of  the  lines  have  missed  altogether 
In  the  biting,  they  may  be  cut  with  the  graver  ;  which  is  also 
sometimes  employed  to  cross  the  lines  of  the  etching,  and 
thus  to  work  up  a  more  finished  effect. 

Dry-pointing,  as  it  is  called,  is  another  method  employed 
for  softening  the  harsh  effects  usually  apparent  in  an  etching. 
This  is  done  by  cutting  with  the  etching-point  upon  the  cop- 
per without  any  ground  or  varnish,  which  does  not  make  a 
very  deep  line,  and  is  used  for  covering  the  light,  where  very 
delicate  tints  and  soft  shadows  are  wanting.  By  varying 
these  processes  of  etching,  graving,  and  dry-pointing,  as  is 
thought  necessary,  the  plate  is  worked  up  to  the  full  effect 
intended  ;  and  it  is  then  sent  to  the  writing  engraver,  to 
grave  whatever  letters  may  be  required  to  be  put  upon  it. 

6.     P rustic  ascid. 

The  prussic  acid  is  produced  by  exposing  the  horns,  hoofe, 
or  dried  blood  of  animals,  with  an  equal  quantity  of  fixed 
alkali,  to  a  red  heat. 

The  alkali  is  found  to  be  neutralized  by  the  acid  thus  form- 
ed, and;  on  evaporation,  will  yield  a  salt  in  crystals,  which  is 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  IS 

then  called  prussiate  of  potash  or  of  soda9  according  to  the 
alkali  which  has  been  employed. 

These  p^ussiates  of  alkali  precipitate  all  metals  from  their 
solution,  the  alkalniniting  with  the  acid  which  holds  the  met- 
al in  solution,  whilst  the  prussic  acid  unites  with  the  metallic 
oxyd,  and  communicates  to  it  a  peculiar  colour. 

Thus  gold  is  precipitated  of  a  yellow  colour,  lead  of  a 
white,  copper  of  a  brownish  red,  and  iron  of  a  dark  blue, 
forming  a  prussiate  cf  iron,  or  the  substance  called  Prussian 
blue. 

From  this  substance  the  prussic  acid  may  be  again  separat- 
ed, by  digestion  with  pure  alkali,  the  prussiate  of  alkali  being 
again  formed,  and  the  iron  left  in  the  state  of  a  brown  oxyd. 
The  Prussiat  of  copper  has  lately  been  prepared  by  Mr.  Hach- 
ett,  and  is  thought  to  be  a  valuable  brown  pigment. 

This  acid  has  a  sour  taste,  and  suffocating  smell,  but,  except 
its  capacity  of  combining  with  alkalis  and  metals,  it  manifests 
no  conspicuous  acid  properties.  It  does  not  redden  the  most 
delicate  vegetable  blues.  It  has  been  found  in  Peach  stones* 
and  is  a  very  violent  poison. 

7.     Nitric  acid,  vr  a  permanent  ink  for  marking  lintn* 

Silver  with  the  nitric  acid  forms  nitrate  of  silver)  which  is 
a  colourless  solution,  and  stains  animal  and  vegetable  sub- 
stances with  an  indelible  black  colour  ;  hence  it  is  used  as  a 
permanent  ink  for  marking  linen  ;  and  is  employed  for  dying 
human  hair  black,  though,  for  this  purpose,  it  should  be  used 
with  great  caution,  and  much  diluted,  as  it  is  extremely 
caustic  or  corrosive.  Nitric  acid  can  dissolve  more  than  half 
its  weight  of  silver,  the  solution  depositing  crystals. 

8.     To  soften  iron. 

Take  half  an  ounce  of  tartar;  two  of  common  salt;  and 
two  and  a  half  of  verdigrease.  Mix  all  together,  and  expose 
it  in  a  poringer  to  the  dew  of  nine  nights  running.  This 
will  turn  into  water,  in  which,  when  red  hot,  you  may  kill, 
your  iron. 

9.     To  melt  iron  so  that  it  'will spread  under  the  hammer. 

Take  equal  quantities  of  lime,  tartar,  an,d  alkali  salt. 
Pour  over  it  a  sufficient  quantity  of  cow-piss,  to  make  a 
thick  pap  with  it,  which  you  will  set  a  drying  in  the  sun,  or 
before  the  fire.  Make  an  iron  red  hot  in  the  fire ;  then 
plunge  in  that  matter.  You  may  afterwards  melt  it  as  you 
would  silver,  and  then  work  it  in  the  game  way  when  cold. 


16  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 


10.     To  give  iron  a  temper  to  cut  porphyry. 

Make  your  iron  red  hot,  and  plunge  it  in  distilled  water 
from  nettles,  acanthus,  and  pilosella,  (or  mouse-ears)  or  in  the 
very  juice  pounded  out  of  these  plants. 

11.     To  soften  all  sorts  of  metals. 

Take  sublimated  mercury,  euphorbium,  borax,  and  ammo- 
niac salt,  of  each  equal  parts  pulverised.  Project  some  of 
that  powder  over  any  metal,  when  in  a  state  of  fusion,  and 
you  will  obtain  the  desired  effect  of  making  it  soft. 

12.     To  soften  a  sophistic  metal. 

Take  black  soap  and  common  salt,  of  each  two  ounces  ; 
human  excrements  dried  and  pulverised,  four  ounces  ;  roch 
alum  an  equal  quantity,  and  nitre  salt,  half  an  ounce.  Incor- 
porate all  together  in  a  pan,  over  the  fire,  with  bullock's  gall  ; 
keep  stirring  it  till  you  feel  no  longer  any  saline  particle. 
Then  take  C  If'  the  pan  from  the  fire,  and  let  the  composition 
cool.  Of  this,  you  may  throw  some  into  the  crucible  in 
which  your  metal  is  in  fusion. 

13.     A  good  temper  for  arm  si 

Take  tythimalu?,  or  spurge  ;  roots  of  wild  horse  radish, 
bryonia,  and  purslain,  of  each  equal  quantities.  Pound  all 
together,  so  that  you  may  get  at  least  one  pound  of  juice. 
Add  to  this,  one  pound  of  red  haired  child's  water  ;  salt- 
petre, alkaline,  gem  and  ammoniac  salts,  of  each  one  drachm. 
When  you  have  mixed  all  well  together  in  a  glass  vessel,  close 
stopped,  bury  it  in  the  cellar,  and  there  let  it  lie  for  twenty 
clays.  Then  bring  it  up  again,  and  put  it  in  a  retort,  to 
which  you  will  adapt  aod  lute  well  its  receiver,  and  begin  to 
distil  by  a  gradual  fire.  Now  when  you  want  to-  get  arms 
of  a  good  temper,  you  have  only  to  plunge  them  in  this  dis- 
tilled liquor,  after  having  previously  made  them  red  hot  in 
the  fire. 

14-.     To  melt  iron  and  make  it  soft: 

Take  two  pounds  of  auripigment,  and  four  of  oil  of  tartar. 
Make  the  auripigment  soak  up  all  the  oil  of  tartar,  and  dry 
it  up  afterwards  over  a  soft  fire.  Then  put  small  bits  of  iron 
in  a  crucible;  and  when  very  red,  throw  by  little  at  a  time, 
about  half  a  pound  of  that  auripigment,  prepared  as  before; 
and  you  will  find  your  iron  soft  and  white. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES*  17 

15.     To  whiten  iron  like  silver. 

Melt  iron  filings  in  a  crucible,  along  with  realgar,  or  red 

arsenic.     Then  take  one  ounce  of  that  matter,  and  one  of 

copper;  melt  all  together,  and  put  it  in  a  coppel.  It  will- 
give  you  one  ounce  of  good  silver. 

16.  To  render  iron  brittle^  so  as  to  pound  like  glass. 

Take  the  distilled  water  from  roch  alum,  plunge  in  it  sev- 
en different  times  your  pieces  of  iron,  or  steel,  beaten  very 
thin,  and  made  red  hot  every  time.  This  operation  will  ren- 
der them  so  brittle,  that  you  may  pound  them  in  a  mortar 
afterwards,  as  you  could  glass. 

17.  Ingredients  'which  serve  to  the  melting  of  iron. 

Iron  is  to  be  melted  with  any  of  the  following  ingredients  ; 
•viz. — pewter,  lead,  marcasite,  magnesia,  auripigment,  anti- 
mony, crown  glass,  sulphiuv  ammoniac  salt,  citrine  miribo- 
lans,  green,  or  fresh  pomegranate  rinds,  &c.  Sec. 

18.     To  melt  or  calcinate  the  blade  of  a  sword  without 
hurting  the  scabbard. 

You  must  drop  into  the  Fcabuard  of  the  sword  some  arsenic 
in  powder,  and  squeeze  over  it  some  part  of  the  juice  of  a 
lemon.  Then  replace  the  sword  into  its  scabbard.  In  a 
quarter  of  an  hoar  afterwards,  or  little  more,  you  will  see 
what  a  surprising  effect  this  will  have. 

19.     To  jix  mercury. 

Take  verdigrease  in  powder,  which  put  in  a  crucible. 
Make  a  hole  in  that  powder,  and  place  in  it  a  knot  of  mercu- 
ry previously  impregnated  with  white  of  eggs  water.  Cover 
this  knot  over  with  borax,  and  add  again  over  this  some  more 
•verdigrease  and  pounded  glass,  one  or  two  finger's  deep. 
Lute  well  the  lid  of  the  crucible,  and  give  a  pretty  smart  fire, 
though  gradually  and  not  at  once,  for  the  space  of  two  hours, 

20.     To  rejine  pewter. 

Take  fine  pewter,  and  put  it  into  a  crucible.  When  melt- 
ed project  over  it,  at  different  times,  some  nitre,  till  it  comes 
to  a  perfect  calcination.  Repeat  this  three  times,  pounding 
the  matter  into  powder,  which  mix  with  charcoal  dust*  Be- 
ing thu?  melted,  it  will  resume  its  former  substance  of  pew- 
ter, with  this  difference,  that  it  will  be  refined  to  an  infinite- 
ly superior  degree. 

C  2 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRAMS. 


21.     A  spirit  which  will  dissolve  all  sorts  cf  stone. 

Take  rye-flour,  and  make  small  balls  with  it,  which  yon 
will  dry.  then  put  them  into  a  retort  well  luted,  and  place  it 
over  a  gradual  fire,  to  draw  the  spirits  by  distillation.  Any 
stone  whatever  will  dissolve  in  it. 

22.      To  extract  mercury  from  lead. 

Take  lead  and  beat  it  into  sheets,  or  laminas,  very  fine. 
Put  these  in  a  glass  vessel  with  common  salts,  a  double  quan- 
tity of  the  lead.  Cover  this  well,  and  bury  it  under  ground 
for  nine  days  at  least.  After  that  time,  if  you  open  the  ves- 
sel again,  you  will  find  y6ur  lead  turned  all  into  running 
mercury  or  quicksilver,  at  the  bottom  of  it. 

23.    The  compositions  cf  cast  mirrors  and  cylinders* 

Take  one  pound  and  a  half  of  red  copper,  eight  ounces  of 
refined  pewter,  one  and  a  half  of  stellated  mars-regulus^ 
otherwise  regulus  of  antimony,  half  an  ounce  of  bismuth,  one 
and  a  half  of  nitre,  and  a  discretionable  quantity  (that  is  to 
say,  as  much  as  you  please)  of  silver. 

9A.     To  give  tools  such  a  temper  as  ivill  enable  them  to 
saiu  marble. 

Mike  the  tool  red  hot  in  the  fire,  and,  when  red  cherry 
colour,  take  it  off  from  the  fire,  rub  it  with  apiece  of  candle, 
and  steep  it  immediately  in  good  strong  vinegar,  in  which 
you  shall  have  diluted  some  soot. 

25.     To   soften   iron,   and  harden  it  afterwards  tnort 
than  it  was  before. 

1.  Make  a  little  chink  lengthways  in  an  iron  bar,  in  which 
pour  melted  lead.     Then  make  it  evaporate  by  a  strong  fire, 
as  that  for  copelling.     Renew  this  operation  four  or  five, 
times,  and  the  bar  will  become  very  soft.     You  harden  it 
afterwards  in  steeping  it,  when  red  hot,  in  mere  forge  water, 
and  it  will  be  of  so  good  a  temper,  as  to  be  fit  for  lancets,, 
razors  and  knives,  with  which  you  will  be  able  to  cut  other 
iron,  without  its  splitting  or  denting. 

2.  It  has  been  found,  by  experience,  that  an  armour  can 
never  be  good  proof  against  fire  arms,  if  it  has  not  first  beenr 
softened  with  oils,  gums,  wax  and  other  incerative  things,  and 
afterwards  hardened,  by  steeping  them  several  times  over  in 
binding  waters. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  i  <> 

26.     The  transmutation  of  iron  into  damask  steel. 

You  must  first  purge  it  of  its  usual  brittleness  ;  and,  after 
having  reduced  it  into  filings,  make  it  red  hot  in  a  crucible; 
steep  it  several  times  in  oil  of  olives,  in  which  you  shall  have 
before  thrown  several  times  melted  lead.  Take  care  to  cov- 
er the  vessel  in  which  the  oil  is  contained,  every  time  you 
throw  your  steel  into  it,  for  fear  the  oil  should  catch  fire. 

27.     To  guard  iron  against  rusting. 

Warm  your  iron  till  you  can  no  more  touch  it  without 
burning  yourself.  Then  rub  it  with  new  and  clean  white 
wax.  Put  it  again  to  the  fire,  till  it  has  soaked  in  the  wax. 
When  done,  rub  it  over  with  a  piece  of  serge,  and  this  iron 
will  never  rust. 

28.     To  cut  peW.es  'with  ease. 
Boil  it  a  good  while  in  some  mutton  suet,  and 
will  cut  it  very  easily. 

29.     A  projection  en  copper. 

1.  Take  fine  pewter  two  ounces,  which  you  will  melt  in  a 
crucible.     When  melted,  throw  in  it  by  little  at  a  time,  the 
same  weight  of  flour  of  brimstone.     Stir  every  time  with  a 
rod,  till  you  see  both  your  pewter  and  sulphur  well  calcina- 
fed.    Then  take  the  crucible  out  of  the  fire,  and  throw  in 
half 'an  ounce  of  crude  mercury.    Let  it  cool,  and  pulverise 
this. 

2.  Now  melt  four  ounces  of  molten  copprr.     When  in 
£ood  fusion,  project  on  it,  by  degrees,  one  ounce  of  the  above 
powder,  stirring  carefully,  while  you  do  it,  with  a  stick. 
Leave  it  thus  in  fusion  for  a  little  while,,  and  then  you  may 
use  it  for  making  all  sorts  of  plates.     It  is  so  beautiful,  that, 
if  you  test  it  on  the  coppel  with  lead,  it  will  stand  it  perfectly,, 

30.     The  preparations  cf  emery. 

1.  Calcine  eastern,  or  Spanish  emery,  three  or  four  times 
in  the  fire  ;  then  let  it  cool.  Pound  it  and  make  strata  super 
strata  of  it,  with  double  the  quantity  of  sulphur-vivum  in 
powder.  Leave  this  crucible  in  the  furnace  with  a  strong 
fire  during  three  or  four  hour*.  Repeat  this  process  four 
different  times  over,  then  reduce  your  emery  into  an  impal- 
pable powder.  Put  it  next  into  a  matrass,  pour  over  it  regal 
water,  that  it  swim  over  by  three  fingers  deep.  Put  this  in 
digestion  for  eight  hours.  Pour  off  by  inclination  your  regal 


20  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES* 

water,  impregnated  with  the  dye.  Put  new  water  on  your 
matter,  and  set  it  on  digesting  again  far  eight  other  hours,  as 
the  former.  Then  take  your  thus  tinged  waters,  which  you. 
will  mix  and  put  in  a  retort.  Distil  most  part  of  it,  till  you 
see  what  remains  in  the  retort  is  yellow.  This  is  the  true  oil 
of  emery,  in  which  you  put  the  bigness  of  a  filbert  of  camphire* 
2.  Exsulphurate  in  a  crucible,  on  a  good  fire,  and  during 
two  hours,  what  quantity  you  plea-ie  of  arsenic.  Then  take 
two  ounces  of  the  aforesaid  oil  of  emery,  one  of  your  exsuU 
phurated  arsenic,  an  equal  quantity  of  salt  of  tartar  drawn 
with  distilled  vinegar,  two  of  sublimate,  and  two  of  silver  ; 
which  you  will  have  dissolved  in  an  aqua  fonts  made  with 
nitre  and  vitriol.  Put  all  together  in  a  matrass,  so  large  that 
the  composition  should  occupy  no  more  than  a  third  part  of 
it,  of  which  you  shall  have  cut  the  neck  off,  to  obtain  a  more 
easy  evaporation  of  the  compounds  from  it.  Put  thij  matrass 
in  the  sand  as  high  as  the  matter,  and  give  it  a  moderate  fire 
for  two  hour^,  then  a  strong  one  for  bix  ;  let  the  fire  go  out 
of  itself.  Then  you  will  find  your  matter  in  a  stone  in  the 
matrass.  Take  it  out,  and  pound  it  into  powder,  projested 
upon  another  ounce  of  salt  in  fusion  ;  if  you  keep  it  a  little 
while  in  that  state,  and  throw  it  afterwards  into  oil  of  olives, 
will  increase  your  gold  by  a  third  of  its  primary  quality,  and 
rather  more  :  And  you  may  thus  increase  it  again  and  agai:., 
by  repeating  the  same  operation. 

31.  To  render  tartar  fusible  and  penetrating. 

1.  Stratify  cakes  of  white   tartar  with    vine    branches* 
When  done,  set  them  on  fire  by  the  top,  and  when  arrived 
at  the  bottom,  your  tartar  will  be  calcinated. 

2.  Dissolve  this  calcined  tartar  in  aqua  *vit#9  then  pass  it 
through  the  filtering  paper,  and  next  evaporate  the  brandy. 
What  shall  remain  is  the  salt  of  tartar,  which  you  must  find 
to  be  as  white  as  snow.    Pour  over  it  the  best  French  spirit 
of  wine,  so  that  it  should  exceed  over  the  salt  the  thickness 
of  an  inch.     Set  it  on  fire.    As  soon  as  your  spirit  of  wine 
shall  be  all  consumed,  your  salt  of  tartar  will  be  fusible  and 
penetrating. 

s.  Now  should  you  make  any  iron  red  hot,  and  project  on 
it  a  little  of  tha*  salt,  it  will  penetrate  it  through  and  through, 
and  leave  after  it  a  vestige  as  white  as  silver,  in  the  place 
where  it  touched. 

32.  To  break  an  iron  bar  as  big  as  tie  arm. 

Take  melted  soap,  with  which  you  will  rub  your  iron  bar 
at  the  place  where  you  would  have  it  break.  Then  with  any 
thing  take  off  and  clean  away  part  of  that  unction,  in  the 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES,  Si 

middle  of  it,  about  the  width  of  half-a-crown.  Then  take  a 
sponge  dipt  into  ardent  water  of  three  distillations,  bring  it 
round  the  bar,  and  in  six  hours  it  will  break. 

33.  To  compose  a  metal  of  a  gold  colour. 

Take  refiner's  copper  six  ounces  ;  melt  it  in  a  crucible  j 
add  one  once  of  calaminary  stone  ;  half  an  ounce  of  tutty, 
and  one  of  tera  merit  a>  in  powder.  Give  to  this  a  melting 
fire  for  five  or  six  hours  running,  then  take  off  the  crucible 
from  the  fire.  Put  this  composition  in  powder,  and  add  to 
it  two  ounces  of  common  mercury,  six  of  sea  salt  exsicated, 
and  a  sufficient  quantity  of  water.  Set  the  whole  a  boiling, 
until  there  appear  no  more  mercury.  Then  put  the  matter 
into  a  crucible,  and  place  it  between  two  fires  of  kindled 
coals,  avoiding  carefully  the  breathing  of  the  fumes.  Give 
this  a  melting  fire,  for  two  hours,  then  wash  the  composition 
in  water,  till  this  runs  off  quite  clear.  Set  this  again  in  the 
crucible  ;  and,  when  melted,  pour  it  into  an  ingot.  This  will 
give  you  a  metal,  of  the  most  beautiful  gold  colour,  which  you 
may  make  use  of  for  plates,  buckles,  snuff-boxes,  cane^heads, 


34.  Another  composition  of  metal 

Take  a  reasonable  quantity  of  the  leaves  of  Persicaria  urens, 
called  Arstnart,  or  vulgarly  Water-pepper,  which  you  will 
dry  in  the  shade.  Melt  in  a  crucible  six  ounces  of  refiners 
copper,  and  when  melted,  throw  in  one  ounce  of  powder  of 
the  arsmart's  leaves,  or  even  half  an  ounce  ;  then  cover  the 
crucible  with  an  iron  lid,  and  keep  this  matter  in  fusion  for 
the  space  of  one  hour,  after  which  you  cast  it  in  an  ingot, 
This  progress  will  give  you  a  metal  which  (except  the  colour 
that  artists  can  at  any  time  give  it  by  an  industry  well  known 
to  them)  has  otherwise  all  the  qualities  of  gold.  The  only  de- 
fect is,  that  it  cannot  bear  testing,  and  that  it  must  therefore 
serve  only  to  supply  common  copper  which  rust  easily,  and 
has  not  so  much  brightness.  It  may  be  used  for  candlesticks, 
and  other  similar  works. 

We  thought  it  was  proper  here  to  give  this  receipt,  as  it  is 
to  be  wished  we  could  make  oureselves  those  metallic  com- 
positions which  we  import  from  Holland,  arid  other  coun- 
tries, 

35.  To  dissolve  gold  in  your  naked  hand. 

Distill  hart's  blood  just  killed  ;  and  after  having  drawn  the 
spirits  per  ascensum  in  baleno-maritf,  cohobate  again  three  dif- 
ferent times.  At  the  third  distillation  you  sublime  all  thefixt  5 


22  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADE  S. 

and  when  done,  lute  well  the  vessel,  and  keep  the  liquor  for 
Tise.  This  liquor,  carefully  preserved,  will  dissolve  gold  in 
the  naked  palm  of  the  hand. 

36.  To  melt  metals  in  the  shell  of  a  nut  'without  burning 
it. 

Take  saltpetre  two  ounces ;  sulphur  half  an  ounce ;  oak, 
walnut-tree,  or  any  other  dry  wood  sawdust  half  an  ounce. 
Let  the  sawdust  be  sifted  very  fine,  and  the  saltpetre  and  sul- 
phur reduced  to  an  impalpable  powder.  All  this  being  well 
mixed  together,  fill  the  shell  of  a  nut  with  it  to  the  brim  ; 
then  lay  it  over  a  piece  of  gold,  silver,  or  any  other  metal  you 
please  ;  and,  having  covered  it  again  with  the  same  powder, 
set  the  fire  to  it,  and  you  will  see  that  the  metal  will  melt  and 
remain  at  the  bottom  of  the  shell. 

37.     Fixation  of  saltpetre. 

Melt  some  lead  in  a  crucible,  and  project  on  it  pulverised 
nitre,  reiterating  the  projections  in  proportion  as  the  matter 
fuses,  till  it  is  entirely  melted. 

38.  Transmutation  of  iron  into  copper. 

Iron  is  easily  changed  into  copper  by  means  of  the  vitriol. 
To  do  this,  put  your  iron,  stratum  superstratum,  in  a  descen- 
sorium,  and  set  it  over  a  strong  blast  fire,  pushed  by  bellows, 
till  the  iron  melts  and  flows  into  copper.  You  must  not  for. 
get,  when  you  have  made  your  beds  of  vitriol,  to  water  them 
a  little  over  with  vinegar  saturated  of  saltpetre,  alkaline,  and 
tartar  salt>  and  verdigrease. 

39.  To  preserve  the  brightness  of  arms. 

Rub  them  with  hart's  marrow.  Or  else,  dissolve  some  allum 
powder  with  the  strongest  vinegar  you  can  find  (that  of  Moni- 
pellieri  which  serves  to  make  their  famous  verdigrease,  is  the 
fittest)  and  rub  your  arms  with  it.  By  these  means,  they  keep 
for  ever  bright  and  shining. 

40.     To  manage  steel  soy  that  it  may  cut  iron  as  it  'were 
lead. 

Draw,  by  an  alembic,  the  water  which  will  come  from  a 
certain  quantity  of  earth-worms ;  join  with  this  water  an 
equal  quantity  of  horse  radish  juice.  Then  temper,  four  or 
five  times,  in  this  liquor,  your  iron  kindled  red  hot*  That 
sort  of  steel  is  made  use  of  for  knives,  swords  and  other  in- 
struments with  which  you  may  cut  iron  with  as  much  ease  as 
'•vere  lead. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES,  23 

41.     7!?  soften  steel. 

Take  a  discretionable  quantity  of  garlic,  rob  them  of  their 
coarest  pee),  then  boil  them  in  oil  of  nuts,  till  reduced  into 
an  unguentum.  Cover  well  your  steel  all  over  with  that  com- 
position, to  the  thickness  of  half  a  crown.  When  this  is  done, 
put  your  steel,  thus  covered,  in  the  forge,  in  the  live  coals, 
and  it  will  become  soft.  To  restore  it  afterwards  to  the  tem- 
per, called  by  artists  red  cherry  colour,  you  must,  after  having 
made  it  red  hot,  plunge  it  in  the  coldest  water. 

42.     To  extract  mercury  from  antimony. 

Take  antimony  and  decrepitate  salt,  of  each  one  pound. 
Mix  them  together,  and  put  in  a  retort  of  two  quarts.  Set 
the  retort  on  the  bare  fire,  or  on  the  gradual  sand  fire.  Let 
the  beak  of  the  retort  be  in  the  water,  and  at  the  bottom  of 
that  vessel,  wherein  the  water  is,  you  will  find  the  running 
mercury  of  antimony. 

43.  A  fixation  of  copper ',  'which  'will  be  found  to  yield 

six  ounces  out  of  eight,  on  the  test. 

Ta'ke  two  ounces  of  fine  pewter,  which  melt  in  a  crucible, 
adding  gradually  to  it,  after  it  is  melted,  an  equal  quantity  in 
weight  of  flour  of  sulphur.  When  all  is  calcinated,  and  while 
still  a  little  warm,  add  again  to  ii  half  an  ounce  of  common 
-purified  mercury,  stirring  continually  with  a  spatula,  till  the 
mercury  disappears  entirely.  There  will  come  a  powder,  of 
which  if  you  project  one,  on  four  ounces  of  red  copper  in 
fusion,  then  stir  and  cast  in  ingots,  you  may  obtain  the  pro- 
mised advantage. 

44.  To  whiten  copper  so  as  to  make  very  fine  figures 

'with  it. 

Take  five  parts  of  copper,  which  you  will  melt  in  a  crucible, 
then  throw  in  one  part  of  zinc.  As  soon  as  the  zinc  is  in  it, 
take  it  off  from  the  fire,  and  stir  the  matter  a  little  with  an 
iron  rod,  then  cast  it  in  the  moulds  of  your  figures.  They 
ivill  look  like  silver  casted  ones. 

45.  To  give  the  finest  colour  of  gold  to  copper,  in  order 

to  make  statues,  or  other  works  with  it. 

Take  one  pound  of  copper,  melt  it  in  a  crucible,  then 
throw  in  it  one  ounce  of  Alexandrian  tutty  reduced  into  a 
subtile  powder,  and  mixed  with  two  ounces  of  bean-flour. 
Take  care  to  keep  stirring  this  matter,  and  to  guard  yourself 


24  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

against  the  fumes.  After  two  hours  of  fusion,  you  will  take 
this  composition  off,  and  wash  it  well,  and  put  it  again  in  the 
crucible  with  the  same  quantity  as  before  of  the  same  pow- 
ders. When  melted,  for  this  second  time,  you  may  take  it  off, 
and  cast  it  in  the  moulds  you  propose,  and  had  prepared  for 
it." 

46.     To  imitate  tortoiseshell  on  copper. 

Rub  copper  laminas  over  with  oil  of  nuts,  then  dry  them 
over  a  slow  fire,  supported  by  their  extremities  upon  small 
iron  bars. 

47.     To  perform  tie  same  on  lorn. 

Make  a  cold  dis  olution  of  auripigment  in  filtered  lime 
water ;  then,  lay  some  of  this  liquor  with  a  brush  on  your 
comb  or  other  horn  work.  Reiterate  this,  if  you  find  it  has 
not  penetrated  enough  the  first  time,:  and  turn  it,  to  do  the 
same  on  the  other  side. 

48.     To  soften  metals. 

Take  saltpetre  and  camphire  equal  parts.  Dissolve  them 
in  a  lye  made  with  two  parts  of  oak-wood  ashes  and  one 
of  quick  lime.  Pass  this  solution  through  a  filtering  paper, 
and  vaporise  it  over  a  slow  fire  in  a  glass  vessel.  There  re- 
sults a  borax,  which,  thrown  in  metals  while  in  fusion,  soft- 
ens them  perfectly. 

49.     A  secret  fire. 

Have  a  barrel  open  by  one  end,  and  pierced  with  a  dozen 
of  holes  on  the  other.  Put  in  it  three  or  four  bushels  of  oat- 
straw,  cut  very  fine,  as  that  which  is  given  to  horses.  Get 
next  half  a  bushel  of  barley,  which  have  soaked  for  three  days 
in  lime  water,  and  drained  in  a  sheercloth  of  all  the  water 
which  can  run  out  of  it.  Place  this  wet  barley  in  a  lump  over 
the  oat  straw,  then  cover  it  with  other  similar  cut  straw,  and 
let  it  rest,  when  you  thrust  your  hand  in  it,  you  feel  it  warm. 
This  heat  you  may  keep  up,  by  throwing,  with  a  gardener's 
watering-pot,  about  half  a  pint  of  water  every  other  day. 

50.     To  solder  iron>  or  any  other  metal  without  fire. 

Take  one  ounce  of  ammoniac,  and  one  of  common  salts ; 
an  equal  quantity  of  calcined  tartar,  and  as  much  of  bell- 
metal,  with  three  ounces  of  antimony.  Pound  alt  together 
and  sift  it.  Put  this  into  a  piece  of  linen,  and  inclose  it  well 
all  round  with  fuller's  earth,  about  one  inch  thick.  Let  it 
dry,  then  put  it  between  two  crucibles,  over  a  slow  fire  to 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  23 

get  heat  by  degrees.  Push  on  the  fire  till  the  lump  contained 
in  the  crucibles  becomes  quite  red  hot,  and  melt  all  together. 
Then  let  the  vessels,  and  the  whole,  cool  gradually,  and  pound 
it  into  powder. 

2.  When  you  want  to  solder  any  thing,  put  the  two  pieces 
you  want  to  join  on  a  table,  approaching  their  extremities  as 
near  as  you  can  one  to  another.  Make  a  crust  of  fuller's  earth 
so,  that  holding  to  each  piece,  and  passing  under  the  joint, 
it  should  be  open  over  it  on  the  top.  Then  throw  some  of 
your  powder  between  and  over  the  joint.  Have  again  some 
borax,  which  put  into  hot  wine  till  this  is  consumed,  and  with 
a  feather  rub  your  powder  at  the  place  of  the  joint ;  you 
will  see  it  immediately  boiling.  As  soon  as  the  boiling  stops, 
the  consolidation  is  made.  If  there  be  any  roughness  you 
must  smoothen  it,  by  rubbing  with  a  grinding  stone,  for  the 
fi4e  will  have  no  power  over  it. 

£l .     To  solder  'with  fire. 

Make  a  paste  with  pulverised  chalk  and  gum  water,  which 
put  around  the  two  broken  pieces  placed  on  a  table  and  pre- 
pared as  before-mentioned  in  the  preceding  receipt.  The  only 
difference  is,  that  you  are  to  rub  over  the  two  united  extremities 
with  melted  soap ;  and,  after  having  thrown  some  of  the  above 
powder  at  the  place  of  the  joint,  hold  a  kindled  piece  of  char- 
coal over  it.  This  will  immediately  set  the  matter  in  fusion, 
wkich  is  no  sooner  done,  but  you  may  take  off  the  paste,  and 
you  will  find  it  consolidated. 

52.     An  oil)  one  ounce  $f  which  will  last  longer  than 
one  pound  of  any  other. 

Take  fresh  butter,  quick  lime,  crude  tartar,  and  common 
salt,  of  each  equal  parts,  pound  and  mix  together.  Saturate 
it  with  good  brandy,  and  distil  it  in  a  retort,  over  a  graduated 
fire,  after  having  adapted  the  reciver,  and  luted  well  the 
joints. 

53.     To  make  borax. 

Take  two  ounces  of  roch-alum,  dilute  it,  and  mix  it  with 
two  ounces  of  alkaline  salt,  which  is  used  in  making  of  glass. 
Put  all  into  a  pewter  pot,  and  set  it  a-doing,  for  the  space  of 
half  an  hour,  over  a  gentle  fire ;  then  take  it  out  of  the  water. 
Take  next  two  ounces  of  gem  salt  in  powder,  as  much  of  al  - 
kaline  salt,  two  pounds  of  virgin  honey,  and  one  of  cow  milk. 
Mix  well  all  together,  and  set  it  in  the  sun  for  three  days. 
Then  the  borax  is  done. 


se  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

54*.     To  render  iron  as  white  and  beautiful  as  silver. 

Take  ammoniac  salt  in  powder,  and  mix  it  with  an  equal 
quantity  of  quick  lime.  Put  them  all  together  into  cold  wa- 
ter, and  mix  well.  When  done,  any  iron  piece,  which  you 
shall  have  made  red  hot,  will,  if  you  steep  it  in  that  prepared 
•water,  become  as  white  as  silver. 

55.     To  calcine  pewter,  and  render  it  as  white  and  hard 
as  silver. 

Melt  well  your  pewter  in  a  crucible,  so  that  it  may  be  very 
iine  and  clear.  Pour  it  afterwards  into  a  very  strong  vinegar, 
fchen  into  mercurial  water.  Repeat  that  operation  as  many 
iimes  as  you  please,  you  will  each  time  give  it  an  additional 
degree  of  hardness  and  whiteness,  drawing  near  to  silver  ;  so 
anuch,  that  it  will  at  last  be  very  difficult  to  distinguish  it  from 
cilver  itself. 

56.  To  whiten  brass. 

1.  Take  rosin  and  saltpetre,  equal  quantities.    Pound  all 
in  a  mortar,  and  reduce  it  into  an  impalpable  powder.    Put 
this  into  an  earthen  pan  made  red  hot,  and  thus  burn  the  mat- 
ter.    As  soon  as  done,  you  must  wash  and  dry  it,  then  grind 
5t  again  as  before,  with  the  addition  of  an  equal  quantity  of 
viuripigment.     Then  put  all  this  into  a  crucible,  cover  it  with 
another  well  luted,  and  having  a  little  hole  in  the  top,  which 
you  will  stop  by  laying  only  a  medal  on  it.    When  calcined, 
take  what  you  will  find  clear  in  the  bottom,  not  what  will 
have  sublimed  on  the  top.     Make  a  very  fine  powder  of  this 
matter  ;  and,  with  one  single  ounce  of  that  powder,  you  will 
be  able  to  whiten  two  pounds  of  brass,  in  proceeding  about 
ii  as  follows. 

2.  Melt  first  your  brass  as  usual ;  and  when  in  good  fusion, 
cast  it  into  very  good  vinegar  ;  an  operation  which  you  must 
repeat  three  times.    Then,  when  you  melt  it  for  the  fourth 
lime,  you  are  to  project  on  it,  as  we  said  before,  one  ounce 
only  (if  you  have  two  pounds  of  brass)  of  the  said  powder, 
*vhich  will  render  your  brass  as  white  as  silver. — N.  B.  To 
melt  the  brasr  with  more  facility,  throw  in  the  crucible  a  cer- 
tain discretionable  quantity  of  mice-dung. 

57.  A  black  varnish. 

1.  Take  gum-lac,  four  ounces ;  sandarak  and  black  rosin, 
equal  quantities,  one  ounce  of  each.  Pulverise  all  separately, 
and  keep  them  distinct,  to  proceed  afterwards  in  their  mixture 
according  to  the  following  directions.  Dissolve  the  ro^in  over 


SECRE  TS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  27 

the  fire  in  a  sufficient  quantity  of  spirit  of  wine,  then  add  the 
sandarak  to  it.  As  soon  as  this  is  dissolved,  add  the  powder 
of  gum-lac,  and  stir  well  till  all  is  melted  together.  Strain  it, 
while  warm,  through  a  cloth.  If  any-  thing  remain  in  the 
linen  afterwards,  add  some  more  spirit  of  wine,  to  dissolve 
it  as  before,  and  strain  it  again. 

2.  The  black  colour  is  given  to  it  by  means  of  two  drachms 
only  of  ivory  black  to  every  two  ounces. 

58.     To  make  ivory  black  for  the  above  purpose. 

Burn  any  quantity  of  ivory  you  please,  in  the  fire,  till  it  is 
black.  Put  it  into  powder  on  a  stone  of  porphyry.  Add 
some  water  to  it,  and  make  a  paste,  which  you  let  dry.  Then 
grind  it  again,  as  before,  with  spirit  of  wine. 

59.     Chinese  varnish^  particularly  calculated  for  minia- 
ture painting. 

Take  one  ounce  of  white  karabe,  or  amber  ;  and  one  drachm 
of  camphire,  reduced  into  a  subtile  powder,  and  put  in  a 
matrass,  with  five  ounces  of  spirit  of  wine.  Set  it  in  the  sun 
to  infuse,  during  the  hottest  days,  stir  it  two  or  three  time?  a- 
day.  After  a  fortnight's  infusing  thus,  put  the  matrass,  for 
one  hour,  over  hot  ashes  ;  then  pass  all  through  a  cloth,  and 
keep  it  in  a  bottle  well  corked. 


60.  How  to  make  a  red>  with  varnish  of  a  much 

er  hue  than  coral  itself. 

Take  Spanish  vermillion,  grind  it  on  a  marble  with  brandy, 
and  add  to  it  the  sixth  or  eight  part  of  lac.  When  done,  mix 
this  composition  with  as  much  varnish  as  you  may  find  it  re- 
quisite to  apply. 

61.  To   make  sashef    with   cloth    which  will  be  very 

transparent. 

Take  fine  white  cloth  ;  the  finer,  the  more  transparent  the 
sashes  will  be.  Fix  the  cloth  very  tight  on  a  frame.  Then 
make  some  starch  with  flour  of  rice,  and  lay  a  coat  of  it,  as 
smooth  as  you  can,  on  both  side?  your  cloth,  with  a  stiff 
brush  ;  let  it  dry.  Then  the  following  varnish,  with  a  soft 
brush,  having  care  to  lay  it  on  as  equally  as  possible. 

62.      The  varnish  Jit  for  the  above  sashes. 

1.  Take  of  the  finest  and  whitest  wax  you  can  find,  six 
pounds;  of  the  finest  and  clearest  Venice  turpentine,  two  > 


SB  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES, 

one  and  a  half  of  the  most  perfect  lintseed  oil.  Have  a  new 
and  varnished  pipkin,  larger  at  least,  by  one  third,  than  is  re- 
quisite to  contain  all  these  ingredients.  Put  first,  in  this  pot, 
the  lintseed  and  turpentine  oils  together,  and  set  it  over  a  small 
charcoal  fire. 

When  this  begins  to  be  a  little  warm,  put  in  the  wax,  cut 
in  small  bits,  and  take  care  to  mix  all  well  with  a  clean  stick, 
till  the  wax  is  throroughly  incorporated  with  the  rest. 

2.  Now  take  the  pot  off  from  the  fire;  and,  while  this 
composition  is  still  a  little  warm,  give  a  coat  of  it  on  both 
sides,  prepared  as  before  directed,  and  let  it  dry  in  the  shade. 

Note.  You  may  render  your  sashes  still  more  transparent, 
if,  on  both  sides  of  them,  you  lay  a  smooth  coat  of  the  fol- 
lowing varnish,  with  a  soft  brush, 

63.     A  fne  white  varnish. 

Take  one  pound  of  fine  Venice  turpentine,  and  as  much  of 
spirit  of  turpentine.  Put  this  in  a  glass  matrass,  larger  at 
least  by  a  third,  than  is  wanted  to  contain  the  matter.  Stop 
this  matrass  with  another  smaller  matrass.  The  neck  of 
which  is  to  enter  into  that  of  the  former.  Have  care  to  lute 
well  both  necks  together,  with  paste  and  paper  ;  and  when 
the  luting  has  acquired  a  perfect  dryness,  set  the  first  matrass 
on  a  sand  bath,then  set  the  varnish  a-boiling,  for  near  an  hour, 
after  which,  take  it  off  from  the  fire,  and  let  it  cool.  When 
cold,  bottle  and  stop  it  for  use. 

Note.  Turpentine  well  purified  from  all  its  greasy  parts>  is 
the  best,  and  fittest  to  make  the  varnish  for  sashes. 

64%     A  varnish  to  prevent  the  rays  of  the  sun  from  pas- 
sing through  the  panes  of  window-glasses. 

Pound  gum  adragant  into  powder,  and  put  it  to  dissolve 
for  twenty-four  hours,  in  whitej  of  eggs,  well  beaten.  Lay 
a  coat  of  this  on  the  panes  of  your  windows,  with  a  soft 
brush,  and  let  it  dry. 

65.  To  render  silk  stufs  transparent,  after  the  Chinese 
manner  ;  and  paint  them  with  transparent  colours  like- 
ivisey  in  imitation  of  the  India  manufactured  silks. 

Take  two  pounds  of  oil  of  turpentine,  very  clear  ;  add  to 
it  two  ounces  of  mastich  in  grain,  and  the  bulk  of  a  filbert  of 
camphire.  Let  this  dissolve  by  a  gentle  heat ;  then  strain  it 
through  a  cloth.  Of  this  oil  lay  one  coat,  or  two,  on  both 
sides  of  your  stuff.  Allow,  however,  a  sufficient  time  between 
each  coat,  for  each  to  dry,  and  let  the  second  lie  two  days  on 
before  you  touch  ihe  stuff  again.  When  that  time  is  over, 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  29 

draw  the  outlines  of  your  design,  and  flower?,  &c.  cover  this 
with  a  preparation  of  lamp-black  and  gum-water.  Then  fill 
the  intervals  with  the  intended  and  proper  colours,  suitable 
to  the  purpose,  and  which  ought  to  be  all  transparent  colours, 
diluted  with  a  clear  varnish.  When  this  is  done,  and  dry, 
lay  on  both  the  right  and  wrong  sides  of  the  stuff  another 
coat  of  clear  varnish. 

66.  To  make  a  transparent  blue  hue,  fir  the  above  pur- 

pose. 

Take  nine  drachms  of  ammoniac  salt ;  six  of  verdigrease* 
distilled  and  exsiccated.  Put  both  these  into  powder  ;  dilute 
these  powders  with  tortoise  oil.  Put  this  on  a  very  thick 
glass,  which  stop  well,  and  set  over  hot  ashes  for  a  week.  After 
that  time  your  colour  will  be  lit  for  u^e,  and  make  your 
drawings  with  the  clear  varnish,  as  directed  in  the  preceding 
article. 

67.  To  make  a  transparent  yellow  hue,  for  the  same  use. 

Take  a  new-laid  egg  of  that  very  day,  make  a  hole  in  the 
shell,  to  draw  the  white  out  of  it.  Replace,  by  the  same  hole, 
with  the  yolk,  two  drachms  of  quicksilver,  and  as  much  of 
ammoniac  salt  ;  then  stop  the  hole  with  wax.  Set  that  egg 
in  hot  dung,  or  over  a  lamp  fire,  for  four  or  five  and  twenty 
days.  When  that  time  is  over,  break  the  egg,  and  you  will 
find  a  very  line  transparent  yellow,  fit  for  the  use  above  men- 
tioned. 

68.  To  give  the  abovementioned  painted  silks  all  the 

smell  andfragrancy  of  the  India  ones. 

It  is  well  known,  that  the  silks,  and  other  things,  we  re- 
ceive from  India,  are  all  tainted  with  a  certain  particular 
smell,  and  agreeable  fragrancy,  which  being  their  peculiar,  dis- 
tinctive, and  most  obvious  character,  if  not  imitated  also, 
would  help  not  a  little  in  ruining  the  deception  intended  by 
the  above  labour.  To  imitate  therefore,  even  this,  you  must 
observe  the  following  direction — Have  a  small  closet,  if  it  be 
for  works  at  large  ;  or  only  a  fine  basket  with  a  top  to  it,  play- 
ing upon  hinges,  stuffed  and  lined  all  over  in  the  inside,  if  it 
be  for  one  single  piece  of  silk.  Put  in  either  of  them,  and 
according  to  their  extent,  a  proportionable  quantity  of  cloves, 
whole  pepper,  mace,  nutmeg,  all-spice,  camphire,  &c.  Sec. 
Put  your  works  among  those  ingredients  and  keep  either  the 
closet,  or  the  basket,  perfectly  close  shut,  till  you  see  they 


so  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

have  received  a  full  impression  from  the  odour  of  those  ingre- 
dients. 

N.  B.  With  the  various  compositions  of  varnishes  and 
preparations  of  colours,  we  have  just  given,  there  is  almost  no 
sort  of  worb-,  coming  from  the  Indies,  but  can  be  performed 
and  imitated. 

69.     The  true  receipt  of  tie  English  varnish,  such  as  is 
laid  on  sticks  and  artificial  made  canes. 

Smoothen  and  polish  well  your  sticks ;  then  rub  them,  or 
your  artificial  made  canes,  with  a  paste  made  of  flour.  Then 
having  diluted,  in  water,  a  discretionable  quantity  of  Flemish 
glue,  and  red  orpine,  give  one  coat  of  this,  very  smooth  and 
equal,  to  your  sticks.  If,  after  this  is  dry,  you  do  not  think 
it  sufficient,  give  them  another,  and  let  them  dry.  Then,  give 
them  a  third  coat,  of  clear  varnish,  made  with  turpentine  and 
spirit  of  wine.  After  this  is  done,  put  a  soaking  in  an  equal 
quantity  of.  water  and  chamber-lye,  some  turnfol  cut  very- 
Email.  With  this  colour  you  touch  your  sticks,  or  canes, 
here  and  there,  with  a  hair  brush.  Then  holding  them  per- 
pendicular, on  their  small  ends,  between  both  your  hands, 
you  roll  them  quick  and  brisk  (as  when  you  mill  chocolate) 
in  contrary  senses.  This  operation  gives  them  a  negligent 
and  natural-like  marbling,  over  which  you  are  to  lay  another, 
coat  of  varnish,  and  set  them  to  dry. 

70.     A  varnish  to  lay  on>  after  the  isinglass. 

Take  spirit  of  wine,  four  pounds  ^  white  amber,  fourteen 
ounces  ;  mastich,  one;  sandarak, seven.  Put  all  in  digestion-, 
for  twenty-four  hours.  Then,  set  the  matrass  on  the  sand,  and 
give  the  fire  for  three  hours,  till  all  is  perfectly  dissolved.  Add. 
after  four  ounces  of  turpentine  oil. 

71*     A  varnh  h  water  proof* 

Take  lintseed  oil,  the  purest  you  can  find,  put  it  in  a  well 
glazed  pipkin,  over  red-hot  charcoals,  in  a  chafing  dish.  With 
that  oil  add,  while  a  warming,  about  the  fourth  part  of  its 
weight  of  rosin.  Make  all  dissolve  together,  and  boil  gently, 
lest  it  should  run  over  the  pot.  At  first,  the  oil  will  turn  all 
into  a  scum  ;  but,  continuing  to  let  it  boil,  that  scum  will 
insensibly  waste  itself  and  dissappear  at  last.  Keep  up  the 
fire  till  taking  a  little  of  that  oil,  with  a  stick,  you  see  it  draw 
to  a  thread,  like  as  varnish  does.  Then  take  it  off  from  the  fire. 
But  if,  trying  it  thus,  it  prove  too  thin,  add  soia«  morerosia 
to  it,  and  continue  to  boil  it* 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  $t 

2.  When  it  is  come  as  it  ought  to  be,  varnish  whatever  you 
want  with  it,  and  set  it  in  the  sun  to  dry,  or  before  the  fire? 
for  it  cannot  dry  without  the  assistance  of  either  of  these. 

N.  B.  This  composition  of  varnish  has  this  particular 
property,  viz.  that,  if  you  lay  it  on  wooden  wares,  hot  water 
itseif  cannot  hurt  it,  nor  have  the  least  power  on  it.  You  may* 
therefore,  make  a  very  extensive  use  of  it.  But  you  must 
take  care  to  choose  the  finest  and  the  most  perfect  rosin,  and 
to  boil  it  well,  for  a  longtime.  Quaere,  Would  not  such  a 
•varnish  he  extremely  useful,  to  preserve  what  is  much  exposed 
to  the  injuries  tfthe  weather  in  gardens  and  elsewhere  $.  such  as 
sashei )  statues,  frames,  hot-houses,  &c.  ? 

72.     Callot's  varnish. 

1.  Take  two  ounces  of  the  finest  lintseed  oil ;  benjamin,  in 
drops,  two  drachm;;-  virgin  wax,  the  bulk  of  a  filbert.  Boil 
all  this  together,  till  it  is  reduced  to  onethiid  ;  and,  while  it 
is  a  boiling,   never  cease  to  stir  with  a  little  stick.     When 
done,  bottle,  or  put  it  in  a  large  mouthed  vessel. 

2.  To  use  that  varnish,  warm  a  little  the  plate  you  intend 
to  engrave  upon  ;  and,  takir.g  a  little  of  the  varnish  with  the 
tip  of  your  finger,  spread  it  delicately  over  the  plate.  Observe 
to  put  as  little  of  it  as  you  can,  and  to  lay  it  on  as  smooth 
and  as  equal  as  possible.     When  done,  smoke  the  plate,  on 
the  varnished  side,  with  a  candle,  passing  and  repassing  it 
gently,  over  the  flame  of  it,  till  it  is  black  every  where.    Set 
it  again,  now,  on  the  chafing-dish,  wherein  are  kindled  char- 
coals ;  and,  when  the  plate  has  done  fuming,  then  the  varnish 
is  sufficiently  hardened.     You   may  then  chalk,  draw,  and 
etch,  whatever  you  will  on  it. 

Such  is  the  true  receipt  of  the  varnish,  which  the  famous 
Gallot  made  use  of,  to  engrave  his  most  admired  and  truly 
admirable  subjects. 

73.     *A  varnish  to  lay  on  paper. 

Begin  by  laying  on  your  paper  one  first  coat  of  very  clear 
and  thin  size.  This  being  dry,  melt  three  parts  of  oil  of 
spike  and  one  of  rosin  together ;  and,  when  come  to  the 
consistence  of  a  varnish,  you  lay  one  second  and  light  coat  of 
this  over  the  first  made  with  size.  This  varnish  is  very  fine, 
when  very  smoothly  and  equally  laid  on. 

74.     To  imitate  porphyry. 

Take  English  brown  red,  if  too  red,  add  a  little  umber  to 
it,  or  some  soot.  Pound  all  into  powder.  Then  have  a  marble 
stone,  of  a  fine  polish,  which  over-lay  with  oil.  Make  a  col- 


32  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

our  composed  of  brown  red,  and  a  little  flat,  or  Venetian  lake, 
previously  grinded  with  gum  adragant.  Then,  with  a  largish 
brush,  take  of  that  colour,  and  asperse  oiled  marble  with  it, 
by  striking  the  handle  of  the  brush  on  your  wrist  (as  book- 
binders  stain  the  covers  of  their  books.)  When  your  marble 
shall  have  been  thus  well  speckled  all  over  with  that  red  col- 
our, you  let  it  dry.  Then  taking  your  Jump  of  brown  red 
and  umber,  dilute  it,  make  a  thin  paste  of  it,  and  lay  it  on  your 
speckled  marble.  When  this  is  also  dry,  it  admits  of  a  very 
fine  polish,  and  looks  like  porphyry. 

75.  A  subtile  mastich  to  mend  all  sorts  of  broken  vessels. 

Take  white3  of  eggs,  and  beat  them  well  to  a  froth.  Add 
to  this  soft  curd  cheese,  and  quick-lime,  and  begin  beating 
a-new  all  together.  This  may  be  used  in  mending  whatever 
you  will,  even  glasses,  and  will  stand  both  fire  and  water. 

76.     A  glue  to  lay  upon  gold. 

Boil  an  eel's  skin,  and  a  little  quick-lime  together  ;  when 
boiled  gently  for  the  space  of  half  an  hour,  strain  it,  and  add 
some  whites  of  eggs  beaten  ;  bottle,  and  keep  it  for  ude.  The 
method  to  use  it  afterwards,  is  to  warm  it,  and  iay  a  coat  of 
it  on  marb  e,  delph,  Worcester,  Stafford,  or  any  other  earthen 
wares,  &c.  and  when  nearly  dry,  write,  paint,  or  draw  what 
you  please  on  it  with  a  pencil,  and  gold  in  shell. 

77.     A  cold  cement  for  cisterns  and  fountain;. 

Take  litharge  and  boil  in  powder,  of  each  two  pounds  ; 
yellow  ochre  and  rosin,  of  each  four  ounces;  mutton  suit, 
live  ounces  ;  mastich  and  turpentine,  of  each  two  ounces  ;  oil 
of  nuts,  a  sufficient  quantity  to  render  maleable.  Work  these 
all  together ;  and  then  it  is  fit  for  ti^e. 

7S.     A  lute  to  join  broken  vessels. 

Dissolve  gum  arabic  in  chamber- 1  ye  over  a  chaftngdivh  j 
itir  with  a  stick  till  perfectly  di.  solved,  then  add  an  equal 
weight  of  flour,  as  you  had  of  gum  arabic,  and  concoct  the 
whole  for  one  quarter  of  an  hour,  or  more,  if  requisite. 

79.     To  make  sealing  wax. 

Take  shell-lac,  &c.  pound  them  all  into  a  very  fine  and 
impalpable  powder.  Then  have  two  wooden  pallets  present 
upon  them,  before  the  fire  some  powder  of  one  sort  to  melt, 
then  move  and  stir  it  with  the  said  pallets.  Take  again  of 
another  powder  in  the  same  manner,  and  mix  it  in  the  same  way 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  S3 

before  the  fire  with  the  first.  Then  another  and  another,  till 
they  are  all  by  this  method,  perfectly  well  amalgamated  to- 
gether. 

2.  Have  now  some  cinnabar  in  powder,  which  put  in  a  pan 
with  water.  In  that  water  and  cinnabar  powder,  set  to  in- 
fuse, or  only  touch  your  incorporated  gums,  to  make  this 
composition  take  colour.  When  thus  sufficiently  coloured, 
take  it  out  of  the  water  with  both  your  hands  and  the  wood- 
en  pallets,  and  have  a  person  to  help  you.  This  having  wet- 
ted his  hand,  will  draw  some  of  the  said  gum,  and  handling 
it  on  a  table,  will  form  the  sticks.  For  two  pounds  of  gums, 
two  ounces  of  cinnabar  are  wanted. 

80.     An  excellent  sealing  wax  by  Girardot. 

Put  four  ounces  of  rosin,  and  four  and  a  half  of  whitening, 
and  melt  them  together  in  a  non-varnished  pipkin,  over  kind- 
led coals.  While  this  is  in  fusion,  have  another  pot,  similar 
to  this,  in  which  you  keep  two  ounces  of  shell-lac,  in  disso- 
lution with  vinegar.  Now  steep  a  wooden  stick  in  the  first 
pot,  and  another  in  the  other  pot ;  then,  over  a  chafingdish, 
turn  quickly,  one  over  another,  the  ends  of  your  two  sticks 
together,  to  mix  and  incorporate  well  what  matter  they  shall 
have  brought  along  with  them  from  each  pipkin.  And  after 
having  turned  them  thus  a  reasonable  time,  you  see  both  mat- 
ters are  well  embodified,  steep  them,  at  different  times,  in  a 
prepared  liquor  to  colour  them. 

81.  A  cement  to  render  crystal  like  diamonds,  and  give 
the  sapphires  of  Alenson  a  hardness  to  cut  glass  with 
ease. 

Make  a  strong  dough  with  sifted  barley  flour  and  petroly, 
(or  rock-oii.)  Divide  this  paste  in  two  equal  parts.  In  one  of 
them  range  your  stones,  so  that  they  should  not  touch  one 
another.  With  the  other  part  of  your  paste  cover  thrs. 
Wrap  up  the  whole  with  a  good  lute,  and  give  it  a  wheel 
iire'for  four  or  five  hours,  gradually  increasing  the  strength  of 
the  fire  between  every  two  hours.  Then  you  will  have  a 
lump  of  stones,  which  will  sparkle  like  true  diamonds. 

82.  A.  paste,  which  will  produce  at  beautiful  emeralds 

as  natural  ones. 

Calcine,  six  different  times,  rock  crystal,  and  plunge  it,  as 
many  times,  in  pure  cold  water.  Grind  it  into  powder,  on 
a  rock  crystal  stone,  with  a  mullar  of  the  same.  When  you 
have  rendered  the  powder  very  fine  and  impalpable,  to  one 


S4  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

pound  of  it,  add  another  of  salt  of  tartar,  drawn  from  red 
tartar,  mixed  well.  Join  to  this,  60  grains  of  red  copper,  and 
fifteen  of  silver,  both  in  shell,  but  grinded  separately.  Now 
mix  the  last  powders  with  the  former,  on  a  marble  stone,  and 
put  all  together  in  a  clean  and  double  heated  crucible.  Lute 
it  well  with  its  lid,  and,  when  the  lute  is  perfectly  dry,  put 
the  crucible  for  six  days  on  a  clear,  but  gentle  fire  ;  then  in- 
crease the  fire  till  the  crucible  becomes  red  hot,  place  it  im- 
mediately in  the  ardent  and  glass  melting  furnace,  and  keep 
it  there  in  the  same  degree  of  heat  for  a  month,  without  in- 
terruption. Then  let  the  crucible  cool  gradually  in  the  fur- 
nace, which  is  done  by  letting  the  fire  go  out  of  itself,  hav- 
ing previously  stopped  all  the  holes  and  openings  of  the  fur- 
nace. When  you  break  it,  you  will  find  a  beautiful  green, 
which  is  fit  to  cut  by  the  lapidary. 

Note.  Be  careful  of  this  composition,  for  it  has  all  the 
merit  ami  advantage  of  the  true  emerald.  It  vies  with  it  in 
weight,  colour,  and  hardness.  In  short,  the  greatest  connois- 
seurs cannot  distinguish  these  emeralds  from  the  finest  real 
ones. 

83.     To  soften  crystal. 

Redden  it  in  the  fire,  and  when  full  of  fire,  plunge  it  ia 
mutton  and  lamb's  blood,  mixed  and  warmed  together.  Rei* 
t crate  this  two  or  three  times,  and  it  will  be  soft. 

84«.     To  counterfeit  diamonds. 

1.  Melt  by  means  of  fire,  some  transparent  pebbles.  Grind 
them  next  into  a  very  fine  powder,  then  set  this   powder 
again  a-melting  on  the  fire.     Put  your  stones  afterwards  in  a 
paste  of  barley  flour,  and  bake  under  ashes,  the  diamonds 
will  be  done. 

2.  To  give  them  a  proper  water,  nothing  else  is  to  be  done 
but  put  them  in  aqua  vite,  which  having  set  fire  to,  let  burn 
out  entirely.    By  that  operation  they  acquire  the  right  col- 
our of  diamonds. 

85.     A  composition,  the  fundamental  basis  of  all  enamels. 

1.  Grind  on  marble,  and  sift  through  a  very  fine  sieve, 
equal  quantities  of  lead  and  pewter-calx.  Put  it  in  a  var- 
nished pipkin  filled  over  with  water.  Boil  it  some  while ; 
then  pour  it  by  inclination,  into  another  vessel.  Put  new  wa- 
ter, to  boil  again  over  the  calx,  and  decant  it  as  before,  on 
the  first  water  :  which  process  you  repeat  till  you  have  en- 
tirely dissolved  all  the  calx.  If  some  part  of  the  metal  re- 
main at  the  bottom,  too  gross  to  be  entirely  carried  by  the 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  35 

waters,  it  must  be  put  in  a  melting-glass  furnace  to  calcine, 
having  care  to  take  out,  in  proportion  as  it  turns  into  calx, 
the  upper  part  of  the  matter.  When  it  is  all  calcined,  contin- 
ue dissolving  it,  by  means  of  boiling  water,  as  you  did  the 
first.  When  you  have  got  all  your  waters  of  dissolution, 
vaporise  them  over  a  slow  fire  ;  and  particularly  towards  the 
end  of  the  evaporation,  have  a  singular  care  that  the  fire  be 
not  too  fierce,  which  then  remains  at  the  bottom,  very  fine 
and  subtilized. 

To  twenty-five  pounds  of  this  calx  add  an  equal  weight  of 
frit,  made  of  tarce,  or  white  sand,  well  pounded  and  sifted 
through  a  very  fine  sieve,  and  four  ounces  of  white  salt  of  tar- 
tar, pounded  and  sifted  in  the  same  manner.  Put  these  ingredi- 
ents in  a  melting-glass  furnace ;  melt  and  purge  them  there 
for  ten  hours.  Then  having  taken  the  pot  off  from  the  fire 
take  out  the  matter,  which,  after  having  well  pulverised,  keep 
it  in  a  close  dry  place,  where  dust  cannot  come  at  it. — Such 
is  the  first  and  principal  matter  to  be  used  in  the  composi- 
tion of  enamels,  of  whatever  sort  of  colour  you  want  to  make 
them. 

86.     Precipitating  Silver  by  Copper. 

Copper  has  a  much  greater  affinity  with  oxygen  than  sil- 
ver ;  consequently,  the  silver  is  precipitated  from  its  solutions 
as  a  fine  silver  dust,  by  metallic  copper.  This  likewise  af- 
fords a  means  to  discover  what  portion  of  silver  may  be  con- 
tained in  an  alloy  of  silver  and  copper.  A  quantity  of  the 
mixture  determined  by  weight  is  dissolved  in  nitric  acid  ;  the 
solution  is  diluted  with  water,  filtered,  and  a  plate  of  copper 
hung  in  it,  till  no  more  precipitate  falls  down.  Then  the 
weight  of  the  precipitate,  when  edulcorated,  is  compared 
with  that  of  the  whole  alloyed  metal  put  to  trial. 

This  silver  dust  well  washed,  and  mixed  with  gum-water, 
serves  as  a  pigment  in  water  painting. 

87.     Separating    Silver  from    Copper  ly  an  Alkaline 
Sulphuret. 

The  affinity  cf  copper  with  sulphur  is  stronger  than  that 
of  silver.  Upon  this  ground,  liver  of  sulphur  (sulphuret  of 
pot-ash)  has  been  proposed  as  an  expedient  to  free  silver  from 
copper ;  for  if  silver  holding  copper  be  fused  with  alkaline 
sulphuret,  the  base  metal  combines  with  the  latter,  and  is 
converted  into  scoriae  floating  on  the  silver. 

$8.     Mt\  Keir's  mode  of  separating  Siher  from  Copper. 

Chemists  have  long  been  acquainted  with  the  compound 
acid,  called  aqua  regia  (nitro  muriatic  acid,)  which  has  the 


36  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

exclusive  property  of  dissolving  gold.  The  discovery  of  a 
compound  acid,  acting  exclusively  upon  silver,  is  owing  to 
our  cotempory,  Mr.  KEIR. 

This  compound  acid  is  made  by  dissolving  one  pound  of 
nitrate  of  pot-ash  (common  nitre  or  salt-petre,)  in  eight  or 
ten  pounds  of  sulphuric  acid  (oil  of  vitriol,]  or  by  mixing  to- 
gether sulphuric  and  nitric  acids.  This  acid  dissolves  silver 
easily,  while  it  will  not  attack  copper,  iron,  lead,  gold,  or 
platina. 

89.     A  Varnish  for  rendering  Si/k  water  and  air-tight. 

To  render  the  linseed-oil  drying,  boil  it  with  two  ounces 
of  sugar  of  lead,  and  three  ounces  of  litharge,  for  every  pint 
of  oil,  till  the  oil  has  dissolved  them  ;  then  put  a  pound  of 
bird-lime,  and  half  a  pint  of  the  drying  oil,  into  a  pot  of  iron 
or  copper,  holding  about  a  gallon  ;  and  let  it  boil  gently  over 
a  slow  charcoal  fire,  till  the  bird-lime  ceases  to  crackle ;  then 
pour  upon  it  two  pints  and  a  half  of  drying  oil,  and  boil  it  for 
about  an  hour  longer,  stirring  it  often  with  an  iron  or  wood- 
en spatula.  As  the  varnish,  in  boiling,  swells  much,  the  pot 
should  be  removed  from  the  fire,  and  replaced  when  the  var- 
nish subsides.  While  it  is  boiling,  it  should  be  occasionally 
examined,  in  order  to  determine  whether  it  has  boiled  enough. 
For  this  purpose,  take  some  of  it  upon  the  blade  of  a  large 
knife,  and  after  rubbing  the  blade  of  another  knife  upon  it, 
separate  the  knives ;  and  when,  on  their  separation,  the  var- 
nish begin?  to  form  threads  between  the  two  knives,  it  has 
boiled  enough,  and  should  be  removed  from  the  fire.  When 
it  is  almost  cold,  add  about  an  equal  quantity  of  spirits  of 
turpentine  ;  mix  both  well  together,  and  let  the  mass  rest  till 
the  next  day  ;  then  having  warmed  it  a  little,  strain  and  bot- 
tle it.  If  it  is  too  thick,  add  spirits  of  turpentine.  This  var- 
nish should  be  laid  upon  the  stuff  when  perfectly  dry,  in  a 
luke-warm  state ;  a  thin  coat  of  it  upon  one  side,  and  about 
twelve  hours  after,  two  other  coats  should  be  laid  on,  one 
on  eaeh  side  ;  and  in  twenty-four  hours  the  silk  may  be  used. 

90.  Mr.  Blanchard's  Varnish  f&r  Air-lallons. 

Dissolve  elastic  gum  (Indian  rubber,)  cut  small,  in  five 
times  its  weight  of  spirits  of  turpentine,  by  keeping  them 
some  days  together  ;  then  boil  one  ounce  of  this  solution  in 
eight  ounces  of  drying  linseed-oil  for  a  few  minutes,  and 
strain  it.  Use  it  warm. 

91.  To  dissolve  Gum-Copal  in  Spirits  of  Wine. 

Dissolve  half  an  ounce  of  camphor  in  a  pint  of  alkohol,  or 
spirits  of  wine ;  put  it  into  a  circulating  glass,  and  add  four 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES-  s  7 

ounces  of  copal,  in  small  pieces ;  set  it  in  a  sand-heat  so  reg- 
ulated, that  the  bubbles  may  be  counted  as  they  rise  from 
the  bottom  ;  and  continue  the  same  heat  till  the  solution  is 
completed. 

Camphor  acts  more  powerfully  upon  copal  than  any  other 
substance.  If  copal  is  finely  powdered,  and  a  small  quantity 
of  dry  camphor  rubbed  with  it  in  the  mortar,  the  whole  be- 
comes in  a  few  minutes  a  tough  coherent  mass.  The  process 
above  described  will  dissolve  more  copal  than  the  menstru- 
um will  retain  when  cold.  The  most  economical  method 
will  therefore  be,  to  set  the  vessel  which  contains  the  solution 
by  for  a  few  days  ;  and  when  it  is  perfectly  settled,  pour  off 
the  clear  varnish,  and  leave  the  residuum  for  a  future 
operation. 

This  is  a  very  bright  solution  of  copal i  it  is  an  excellent 
varnish  for  pictures,  and  mav  perhaps  be  found  to  be  an  im- 
provement in  fine  japan  w  ,  as  the  stoves  used  in  drying 
those  articles  may  drive  off  the  camphor  entirely,  and  leave 
the  copal  pure  and  colourless  upon  the  work. 

AT.  B.  Copal  will  dissolve  in  spirit  of  turpentine,  by  the 
addition  of  camphor,  with  the  same  facility,  but  not  in  the 
same  quantity,  as  in  alkohoj. 

92.     A  Varnish  for  Toilet  Boxes,  Cases,  Fans,  t&c. 

Dissolve  two  ounces  of  gum-mastich,  and  eight  ounces  of 
gum-sandarach,  in  a  quart  of  alkohol ;  then  add  four  ounces 
of  Venice  turpentine. 

93.     A  Varnish  for  Violins,  and  other  Musical  Intern- 
ments. 

Put  four  ounces  of  gum-sandarach,  two  ounces  of  lac,  two 
ounces  of  gum-mastich,  an  ounce  of  gum-elemi,  into  a  quart 
of  alkohol,  and  hang  them  over  a  slow  fire  till  they  are  dis- 
solved ;  then  add  two  ounces  of  turpentine. 

94.  Seed-lac  Varnish. 

Take  spirits  of  wine,  one  quart ;  put  it  in  a  wide  mouthed 
bottle,  add  thereto  eight  ounces  of  seed-lac,  that  is  large 
grained,  bright,  and  clear,  free  from  dirt  and  sticks ;  let  it 
stand  two  days,  or  longer,  in  a  warm  place,  often  shaking  it. 
Strain  it  through  a  flannel  into  another  bottle,  and  it  is  fit 
for  use. 

95.  Shell-lac  Varnish. 

Take  one  quart  of  spirits  of  wine,  eight  ounces  of  the  thin- 


S3  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

nest  and  most  transparent  shell-lac,  which,  if  melted  in  the 
flame  of  a  candle,  will  draw  out  in  the  longest  and  finest  hair  ; 
mix  and  shake  these  together,  and  let  them  stand  in  a  warm 
place  for  two  days,  and  it  is  ready  for  use.  This  varnish  is 
softer  than  that  which  is  made  from  seed-lac,  and  therefore 
is  not  so  useful ;  but  may  be  mixed  with  it  for  varnishing 
wood,  &c. 

96.     To  •write  on  Paper  with  Letters  of  Gold. 

Put  some  gum  arabic  into  common  writing  ink,  and  write 
•with  it  in  the  usual  way.  When  the  writing  is  dry,  breathe 
on  it ;  the  warmth  and  moisture  softens  the  gum,  and  will 
cause  it  to  fasten  on  the  gold  leaf,  which  may  be  laid  on  in 
the  usual  way,  and  the  superfluous  part  brushed  off.  Or  in- 
stead of  this,  any  japanners  size  may  be  used. 

97.     Gilding  by  Amalgamation 

Is  by  previously  forming  the  gold  into  a  paste,  or  amal- 
gam, with  mercury. 

In  order  to  obtain  an  amalgam  of  gold  and  mercury,  the 
.gold  is  first  to  be  reduced  into  thin  plates  or  grains,  which 
are  heated  red-hot,  and  thrown  into  mercury  previously  heat- 
ed, till  it  begins  to  smoke.  Upon  stirring  the  mercury  with 
an  iron  rod,  the  gold  totally  disappears.  The  proportion  of 
mercury  to  gold,  is  generally  as  six  or  eight  to  one. 

98,     An  improved  Process  for  Gilding  Iron  or  StetL 

This  process,  which  is  less  known  among  artists  than  it  de- 
serves to  be,  may  prove  useful  to  those  who  have  occasion  to 
gild  iron  or  steel.  The  first  part  of  the  process  consists  in 
pouring  over  a  solution  of  gold  in  nitro-muriatic  acid  (aqua 
regia)  about  twice  as  much  ether,  which  must  be  done  with 
caution,  and  in  a  large  vessel.  These  liquids  must  then  be 
shaken  together  ;  as  soon  as  the  mixture  is  at  rest,  the  ether 
will  be  seen  to  separate  itself  from  the  nitro-muriatic  acid,  and 
to  float  on  the  surface.  The  nitro-muriatic  acid  becomes 
more  transparent,  and  the  ether  darker  than  they  were  before; 
the  reason  of  which  is,  that  the  ether  has  taken  the  gold  from 
the  acid.  The  whole  mixture  is  then  to  be  poured  into  a 
glass  funnel,  the  lower  aperture  of  which  is  small ;  but  this 
aperture  must  not  be  opened  till  the  fluids  have  completely 
separated  themselves  from  each  other.  It  is  then  to  be  open- 
ed ;  by  which  means  the  liquid  which  has  taken  the  lowest 
place  by  its  greater  gravity,  viz.  the  nitro-muriatic  acid,  will 
run  off;  after  which,  the  aperture  is  to  be  shut,  and  the  fun- 
nel will  then  be  found  to  contain  nothing  but  ether  mixed 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES-  8* 

with  the  gold  ;  which  is  to  be  put  into  well  closed  bottles, 
and  preserved  for  use.  In  order  to  gild  iron  or  steel,  the 
metal  must  first  be  well  polished  with  the  finest  emery,  or 
rather  with  the  finest  crocus  martis,  or  colcothar  of  vitriol, 
and  common  brandy.  The  auriferous  ether  is  then  to  be  ap- 
plied with  a  small  brush  ;  the  ether  soon  evaporates,  and  the 
gold  remains  on  the  surface  of  the  metal.  The  metal  may 
then  be  put  into  the  fire,  and  afterwards  polished.  By  means 
of  this  auriferous  ether,  all  kinds  of  figures  may  be  delineated 
on  iron,  by  employing  a  pen,  or  fine  brush.  It  is  in  this 
mknner,  we  believe,  that  the  Sohlinger  sabre  blades  are  gilded. 
Instead  of  ether,  the  essential  oils  may  be  used,  such  as  oil 
of  turpentine,  or  oil  of  lavender,  which  will  also  take  gold 
from  its  solution. 

99.     Cold  Gilding  of  Silver. 

Dissolve  gold  in  the  nitro-muriatic  acid,  and  dip  some  lin- 
en rags  in  the  solution  ;  then  burn  them,  and  carefully  pre- 
serve the  ashes,  which  will  be  very  black,  and  heavier  than 
common.  When  any  thing  is  to  be  gilded,  it  must  be  pre- 
viously well  burnished  ;  a  piece  of  cork  is  then  to  be  dipped, 
first  into  a  solution  of  salt  in  water,  and  afterwards  into  the 
black  powder ;  and  the  piece,  after  being  rubbed  with  it, 
must  be  burnished.  This  powder  is  frequently  used  for  gild- 
ing delicate  articles  of  silver. 

100.     To  silver  Copper  or  Brass. 

Cleanse  the  metal  with  aqua  fortis,  by  washing  it  lightly, 
and  then  throwing  it  into  water  ;  or  by  scouring  it  with  salt 
and  tartar  with  a  wire  brush.  Dissolve  some  silver  in  aqua 
fortis,  and  put  pieces  of  copper  into  the  solution  ;  this  will 
throw  down  the  silver  in  a  state  of  a  metallic  powder.  Take 
fifteen  or  twenty  grains  of  this  silver  powder,  and  mix  with 
it  two  drachms  of  tartar,  the  same  quantity  of  common  salt, 
and  half  a  drachm  of  alum  ;  rub  the  articles  with  this  com- 
position till  they  are  perfectly  white,  then  brush  it  off,  and 
polish  them  with  leather. 

10.1.     To  silver  the  Dial-plates  oj  Clocks,    Scales   of 
Barometers,  &c. 

Take  half  an  ounce  of  silver  lace,  add  thereto  an  ounce  of 
double  refined  aqua  fortis,  put  them  into  an  earthern  pot,  and 
place  them  over  a  gentle  fire  till  all  is  dissolved,  which  will 
happen  in  about  five  minutes ;  then  take  them  off,  and  mix 
it  in  a  pint  of  clear  water,  after  which,  pour  it  into  another 
clean  vessel,  to  free  it  from  grit  or  sediment;  then  add  « 


40  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

spoonful  of  common  salt,  and  the  acid,  which  has  now  a 
green  tinge,  will  immediately  let  go  the  silver  particles,  which 
form  themselves  into  a  white  curd  ;  pour  off  the  acid,  and 
mix  the  curd  with  two  ounces  of  salt  of  tartar,  half  an  ounce 
of  whiting,  and  a  large  spoonful  of  salt,  more  or  less,  accord- 
ing as  you  find  it  for  strength.  Mix  it  well  up  together,  and 
it  is  ready  for  use. 

Having  well  cleared  the  brass  from  scratches,  rub  it  over 
with  a  piece  of  old  hat  and  rotten-otone,  to  clear  it  from  all 
grcasiness,  and  then  rub  it  with  salt  and  water  with  your 
hand  :  take  a  little  of  the  beforementioried  composition  on 
your  finger,  and  rub  it  over  where  the  salt  has  touched,  and 
it  will  adhere  to  the  bra^s,  and  completely  silver  it.  After 
which,  wash  it  well  with  water,  to  take  off  what  aqua  fortis 
may  remain  in  the  composition  ;  when  dry,  rub  it  with  clean 
rags,  and  give  it  one  or  two  coats  of  varnish,  prepared  ac- 
cording to  the  directions  given  under  the  article  varnishes. 

This  silvering  is  not  durable,  but  may  be  improved  by 
iir.-ithig  the  article,  and  repeating  the  operation  till  the  cov- 
ering seems  sufficiently  thick. 


14)2.      To  silver  Locking 

In  order  to  go  completely  forward,  you  must  be  prepared 
\vith  the  following  articles,  viz.  — 

First,  A  sc  in  are  marble  slab,  or  smooth  stone,  well  polish- 

ed, and  ground  exceedingly  true,  the  larger  the  better,  with 

;,  frame-  rouinl  it,  or  a  groove  cut  in  its  edge?,  to  keep  the  su- 

••  -  i  iliirjus  mercury  from  running  off.     Secondly,  Lead  weights 

d  with  cloth,  to  keep  them  from  scratching  the  glass, 

one  pound  weight  to  twelve  pound  j  each,  according  te> 

the  glasj  which  is  laid  down.     Thirdly,  Rolls  of 

tinfoil      Fourthly,  Mercury  or  quick-silver,  with  which  you 

must  bo  well  provided  ;  then  proceed  as  follows:  — 

Cut  the  tinfoil  a  little  larger  than  the  glass  every  way,  and 
lay  it  flat  upon  the  stone,  and  with  a  straight  piece  of  harel 
wood,  about  three  inehe  3  long,  stroke  it  every  way,  that  there 
be  no  e.re.u-es  or  wrinkles  in  it,  then  drop  a  little  mercury- 
upon  it,  and  with  a  piece  of  cotton,  wool,  or  hair's  foot, 
f  pre.ul  it  all  over  the  foil,  so  that  every  part  may  be  touched 
i\  ith  the  mercury.  Then  keeping  the  marble  slab  nearly  jev- 
i>  the  hori/.on,  pour  on  the  mercury  all  over  the  foil, 
,  it  with  a  line  paper,  and  lay  two  weights  very  near  its 
lowest  end  or  side,  to  keep  the  glass  steady,  while  you  draw 
the  paper  from  between  the  silvered  foil  and  the  glass,  which 
inu^t  be  laid  upon  the  paper.  As  you  draw  the  paper,  you 
must  take  care  that  no  air  bubbles  be  left,  for  they  will  always 
appear  it"  left  in  at  the  first;  you  must  likewise  be  sure  to 
make  the  ,  .an  as  possible  on  the  side  intended  to  be 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  41 

silvered,  and  have  the  paper  also  quite  clean,  otherwise,  when 
you  have  drawn  the  paper  from  under  it,  dull  white  streaks 
will  appear,  which  are  very  disagreeable. 

After  the  paper  is  drawn  out,  place  as  many  weights  upon 
the  glass  as  you  conveniently  can,  in  order  to  press  out  the 
superfluous  mercury,  and  make  the  foil  adhere  to  the  glass. 
When  it  has  lain  six  or  seven  hours  in  this  situation,  rai^e  the 
stone  about  two  or  three  inches  at  its  highest  end,  that  as 
much  of  the  mercury  may  run  off  as  possible  ;  let  it  remain 
two  days  before  you  venture  to  take  it  up  ;  but  before  you 
take  the  weights  off,  gently  brush  the  edges  of  the  glass,  that 
no  mercury  may  adhere  to  them  ;  then  take  it  up,  and  ^  turn 
it  directly  over,  with  its  face  side  downward,  but  raise  it  by 
degrees,  that  the  mercury  may  not  drip  off  too  suddenly  ;  for 
if,  when  taken  up,  it  is  immediately  set  perpendicular,  air 
will  get  in  between  the  foil  and  the  glass  at  the  top,  as  the 
mercury  descends  to  the  bottom  ;  by  which  means,  if  you  be 
not  exceedingly  careful,  your  labour  will  be  lost. 

103.     To  Silver  Glass  Globes. 

Take  half  an  ounce  of  clean  lead,  and  melt  it  with  an  equal 
weight  of  pure  tin  ;  then  immediately  add  half  an  ounce  of 
bismuth,  and  carefully  skim  off  the  dross  ;  remove  the  mix- 
ture from  the  fire,  and  before  it  grows  cold,  add  five  ounces 
of  mercury,  and  stir  the  whole  well  together  ;  then  put  the 
fluid  amalgam  into  a  clean  glass,  and  it  is  fit  for  use. 

When  this  amalgam  is  used  for  foiling  or  silvering,  let  it 
first  be  strained  through  a  linen  rag  ;  then  gently  pour  some 
ounces  thereof  into  the  globe  intended  to  be  foiled  ;  the  mix- 
ture  should  be  poured  into  the  globe,  by  means  of  a  glass  or 
paper  funnel,  reaching  almost  to  the  bottom  of  the  globe,  to 
prevent  its  splashing  to  the  sides  ;  the  globe  should  then  be 
dexterously  inclined  every  way,  though  very  slowly,  in  order 
to  fasten  the  silvering:  when  this  is  once  done,  let  the  globe 
rest  some  hours  ;  repeat  the  operation,  till  at  length  the  fluid 
mass  is  spread  even,  and  fixed  over  the  whole  internal  surface  ; 
as  it  may  be  known  to  be,  by  viewing  the  globe  against  the 
light ;  the  superfluous  amalgam  may  then  be  poured  out,  and 
the  outside  of  the  globe  cleared. 

10 4*.     To  whiten  Brass  or  Copper  by  boiling. 

Put  the  brass  or  copper  into  a  pipkin  with  some  white  tar« 
tar,  alum,  and  grain  tin,  and  boil  them  together.  The  arti- 
cles will  soon  become  covered  with  a  coating  of  tin,  which, 
when  well  polished,  will  look  like  silver.  It  is  in  this  manner 
that  pins,  and  many  sorts  of  buttons,  are  whitened. 
E  3 


42  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 


105.     To  make  an  enamel  as  white  as  milk. 

1.  To  six  pounds  weight  of  the  matter  just  described  put 
forty-eight  grains  of  magnesia,  prepared  as  follows, 

2.  Put  in  an  iron  spoon,  to  the  reverberating  fire,  the  bits 
of  magnesia,  rough  as  it  comes  from  the  mine.    When  it  is 
whitened,  pour  good  vinegar  over  it,  then  break  it  small,  and 
wash  it  several  times  with  warm  water.     Dry,  pulverise,  and 
sift  it,  then  preserve  it  in  a  covered  pot  for  use. 

3.  This  magnesia,  and  primary  enamel  matter,  you  put,  in 
the  above  prescribed  proportion,  in  a  crucible,  on  a  glass- 
melting  fire,  then  threw  the  whole  contents  into  clear  water; 
dry  it,  melt  it  again,  as  before,  and  throw  it  in  water  again, 
and  so  on.     This  operation  repeat  three  times.     Being  thus 
well  purified,  if  you  find  it  not  quite  white  enough,,  add  a 
little  more  magnesia,  and  begin  the  same  process  as  before. 
Then  take  it  off  the  fire,  and  make  it  into  small  round  cakes- 
Such  is  the  method  of  preparing  the  enamel  to  paint  with  on 
gold,  and  other  metals, 

106.     To  make  green  enamel. 

1.  Melt  and  purge,  by  the  glass-melting  fire,  and  in  a  var- 
nished crown-glass  pot,  four  pounds  of  the  primary  enamel 
matter.     Leave  it  there  twelve  hours  ;•  after  which  throw  it 
in  water,  dry  it,  and  put  it  again  in  the  same  fire,  for  the  same 
time,  to  cleanse  it  well. 

2.  Grind  into  a  very  subtile  powder,  some  of  the  aforesaid 
scones  of  copper,  and  some  scories  of  iron.    Mix  the^e  pow- 
ders together,  *viz.  two  ounces  of  the  former,  and  48  grains 
only  of  the  latter ;  which,  being  divided  into  three  different 
parcels,  project,  at  three  distinct  times,  on  the  enamel  mat- 
ter in  fusion,  stirring  well  with  an  iron  hook  at  the  time  of 
each  projection,  that  the  colour  may  better  incorporate ;  and 
in  twelve  hours  afterwards  you  will  find  a  very  fine  greem 
enamel. 

107,     To  make  a  Hack  shining  enamel. 

Take  of  our  primary  enamel  matter  in  powder,  fouf 
pounds  ;  red  tartar,  four  ounces  ;  and  of  our  prepared  mag- 
jiesia,  in  subtile  powder,  two,  Put  all  this  into  a  varnished 
-pipkin,  so  large,  that  all  these  ponders  together  shall  not 
•come  higher  than  the  third  part  of  the  vessel,  this  matter, 
when  melted,  swells  very  much .  When  in  perfect  f usion^ 
throw  it  into  water  ;  take  it  out  to  dry,  then  put  it  again  in 
the  pot>  and  purify  it  as  before*  Do  so  till  you  find  it  suffi- 
ciently purified ;  then  take  ths  pQt  off  the  fire,  and  the  jnat« 
ter  out  of  the  pot. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  40 

108.     To  make  an  enamel  purple  colour. 

Reduce  into  subtile  powder,  and  mix  well  together,  six 
pounds  of  our  primary  and  general  enamel  matter;  three 
ounces  of  prepared  magnesia,  and  six  of  scories  of  copper, 
prepared  as  before  mentioned.  Melt  and  purify  all  this  in  a 
varnished  pipkin,  by  placing  it  in  a  melting  glass  furnace.— 
When  in  good  fusion,  throw  this  matter  in  water  ;  dry  it,  and 
put  it  again  in  the  same  pot  to  purify  it  a  new  by  the  same 
process.  If  you  find  your  colour  to  your  liking,  take  the 
pot  off  from  the  fire,  and  keep  your  enamel  for  use. 

109.      To  make  red  enamel^  of  a  beautiful  ruby  hue. 

Put  twenty  ounces  of  the  above  fusible  magnesia,  to  one 
pound  of  the  crystal  ine  matter  in  good  fusion.  Purify  the 
whole  well,  and  try  the  colour. 

Note.  According  to  the  proportion  of  fusible  magnesia  you 
put  in  this  composition,  you  raise  or  lower  the  hue  of  your 
enamel.  And,  if  carried  to  the  degree  of  rubies,  it  will  prove 
bright  and  beautiful. 

110.     To  jasper  glass  globes. 

Wet  the  inside  of  a  glass  globe  with  common  water  j  then 
throw  in  some  powder  blue,  or  ultramarine,  or  else  some  of 
t  he  finest  smalt,  and  stir  well  the  globe,  that  these  powders 
may  stick  every  where.  Then  dilute  some  other  colours  with 
nut  oil,  keeping  each  particular  colour  by  itself.  With  the 
downy  end  of  a  quill,  put  some  of  these  colours,  one  after 
another,  in  the  globe,  touching  it  every  way  with  them.  Put 
some  fibur  after  that  in  the  globe,  and  shake  it  so  as  to  make 
it  go  all  over,  and  then  the  work  is  finished. 

111.     To  give  globes  a  silver  colour. 

To  four  otlnces  of  pewter,  in  fusion,  add  two  of  quicksilver. 
Stir  all  well  with  a  wooden  spatula  ;  and  when  the  whole  is 
well  incorporated,  pour  some  of  this  compound  into  your 
globes,  which  must  previously  have  been  warmed  before  the 
fire.  Turn  them  in  all  manner  of  directions,  that  the  com- 
position may  fix  itself  better  and  more  equally  in  all  their 
capacity.  Chop  some  tinsel  very  fine,  and  throw  it  in  the 
globes  when  the  pewter  begins  to  cool,  these  little  laminas 
will  stick  themselves  to  it,  and  produce  the  finest  effect  ima- 
ginable. 

112.     A  good  method  of  tinning  glass  globes. 
Melt  together  one  ounce  of  tin  glass,  and  half  that  quanti- 


4-4  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

ty  of  pewter  and  of  lead.  When  both  are  thus  in  fusion, 
throw  in  some  mercury,  and  the  whole  into  a  pan  full  of 
water.  Pour  the  water  off  by  inclination,  and  dry  this  mat- 
ter ;  then  pass  it  through  a  piece  of  linen  and  roll  it  ia  a 
globe  that  is  very  dry  in  the  inside. 

113.     To  make  transparent  frames. 

Boil  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour  only,  nut  oil,  six  ounces  ; 
white  wax,  four ;  rosin,  as  much  ;  and  Venice  turpentine, 
two.  When  lukewarm,  lay  it  on  with  a  soft  brush. 

114.     To  make  lake. 

Take  three  parts  of  an  ounce  of  Brasil  wood ;  a  pint  of 
clear  water  ;  one  drachm  and  a  half  of  roch  alium  ;  eighteen 
grains  of  salt  of  tartar;  the  bulk  of  two  filberts  of  mineral 
crystal ;  three  quarters  of  a  pound  of  the  whitest  sound,  or 
cuttle-fish  bones,  rasped.  Eut  all  together  in  a  saucepan  to 
boil,  till  reduced  to  one  third.  Strain  it  three  times  through 
a  coarse  cloth.  To  make  a  finer  sort,  strain  it  four  times. — 
Then  set  in  the  sun  under  cover  to  dry.  That  which  dries  the 
soonest  is  the  finest. 

1 1 5.     To  make  a  liquid  lake. 

Pound  some  cochineal  and  allum  together ;  then  boil  them 
with  a  quantity  of  lemon-peels,  cut  very  small.  And  when 
it  is  come  to  the  right  colour  you  want,  pass  it  through  a 
cloth. 

116.  A  bluey  very  like  ultramarine. 

Grind  some  indigo  on  porphyry  with  turpentine  oil.  Put 
it  afterwards  in  a  glazed  pipkin,  and  lute  it  well.  Let  it  thus 
lay  for  the  space  of  six  weeks.  The  longer  you  leave  it,  the 
more  blue  it  will  be. 

117.  How  to  make  a  fine  flesh  colour. 

The  mere  addition  of  a  little  black  to  the  above  composi- 
tion will  make  the  finest  colour  for  complexions,  or  flesh- 
colour,  and  may  justly  be  deemed  a  ninth  article  in  the  pro- 
cess which  is  to  be  observed  in  its  fabrication. 

118.  A  good  ivay  to  make  carmine. 

Make  a  little  bag,  tied  very  close,  of  fine  Venetian  lake. — 
Put  it  in  a  little  varnished  pipkin,  with  rain-water  and  cream 
of  tartar,  and  boil  it  to  a  sirup.  Thus  you  will  have  a  fine 
carmine  colour 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  45 

119.     The  •whole  process  of  making  ultramarine. 

1.  Make  some  of  the  brownest  lapis  red  hot  in  a  crucible, 
then  throw  it  into  vinegar.     Repeat  this  three  times.     When 
calcined,  pound  it  in  a  mortar,  and  sift  it.     Then  grind  it  on 
porphyry,  with  a  mixture  of  lintseed  oil  and  spirit  of  wine, 
in  equal  quantities,  and  previously  digested  together  in  a  ma- 
trass, and  often  shaken  to  prepare  them  for  this  use.     When 
you  shall  have  subtalized  your  lapis  powder,  then  incorporate 
it  with  the  following  cement. 

2.  Lintseed  oil,  two  ounces ;  Venice  turpentine,  three  ; 
mastich,  half  a  one  ;  assa  fatida,  two  ;  black  rosin,  as  much  ; 
wax,  half  an  ounce;  yellow  rosin,  three.     Boil  all  in  a  glazed 
pipkin,  for  quarter  of  an  hour;  then  run  it  through  a  cloth 
into  clear  water.     Take  it  out  of  that  water  ;  and,  taking  of 
this,  and  of  the  grinded  lapis,  equal  quantities,  incorporate 
them  in  a  glazed  pan,  and  pour  some  clean  warm  water  over, 
and  let  it  rest  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour.     Stir  this  water  with 
a  wooden  spatula ;  and  in  another  quarter  of  an  hour  you 
will  see  the  water  all  azured.     Decant,  gently,  that  water 
into  another  glazed  pan.     Pour  new  warm  water  on  the 
grounds,  and  proceed  as  before,  continuing  to  stir  and  beat  it 
well ;  then  decant  again  this  new  azured  water  with  the  for- 
mer.   Repeat  doing  so,  till  the  water  is  no  more  tainted  with 
any  azurine  particles.     When  done,  set  your  azured  waters 
in  evaporation,  and  there  will  remain   at  the  bottom  a  very 
fine  Azure  of  Ultramarine,  viz.  four  ounces  of  it  for  every 
pound  of  composition.    Of  the  remainder  you  may  make 
what  is  called  cender  blue. 

120.      Observations  on  tie  above  process. 

1.  Ultramarine  might  be  drawn  from  the  pastil,  by  work- 
ing it  with  the  hands  instead  of  pestles.     But,  as  it  fatigues  a 
great  deal  more  the  articulations  by  that  sort  of  working, 
than  by  the  other,  there  is  room  to  think,  that  by  this  mode 
of  proceeding,  each  single  operation  might  be  attended  with 
some  imperfection  ;  which  is  the  reason  why  the  pestles  are 
preferable. 

2.  Some  people  make  their  lapis  red  hot  on  bare  coals,  then 
steep  it  in  distilled  vinegar,  repeating  this  several  times  till  it 
becomes  fryable. 

3.-  But  it  is  much  preferable  to  make  it  red  hot  in  a  cruci- 
ble ;  because,  should  the  fire  make  it  split,  the  bits  will  remain 
in  the  crucible.  Now  it  need  not  be  wondered  at  if  it  does, 
particularly  when  calcinations  are  often  repeated. 

4.  The  lapis,  which  is  of  a  fine  blue,  and  striped  with  gold 
or  silver,  is  the  best  to  make  ultramarine  of. 

5.  The  fapis  is  also  reckoned  to  be  of  good  quality,  when 


46  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

it  preserves  its  fine  colour,  even  after  it  has  been  made  red- 
hot  in  blasting  charcoals. 

121.     To  make  the  Bistre  for  tie  wash. 

1.  Grind,  on  marble,  with  child's  water,  some  chimney- 
soot.    Mullar  it  as  fine  as  possible.    When  done,  put  it  in  a 
wide-mouthed  bottle,  which  fill  up  with  clear  water  ;  and  then 
stir  and  mix  all  well  with  a  wooden  spatula.   Let  the  coarsest 
parts  settle  to  the  bottom  of  the  vessel.    Decant  out  the  liq- 
uor gently  into  another  vessel.    What  remains  in  the  bottom 
is  the  coarest  bistre. 

2.  Proceed  the  same  with  respect  to  the  second  bottle,  and 
after  having  left  this  to  settle  for  three  or  four  days,  instead 
of  half  an  hour,  decant  it  into  a  third.    This  gives  you  the 
finest  bistre. 

3.  In  the  manipulation  of  all  the  colours  which  are  intend- 
ed  to  serve  in  drawing  for  wash,  whenever  you  will  not  have 
them  rise  thick  above  the  surface  of  the  paper,  which  would 
undoubtedly  look  very  bad ;  for  the  neatness  required  in  a 
draught,  forbids  the  use  of  any  coarse  colour. 

122.     The  secret  for  a  fine  red  for  the  wash. 

1.  Make  a  subtile  powder  with  cochineal.  Put  it  in  a  ves- 
sel, and  pour  rose-water  over  it  as  will  exceed  above  it  by 
two  fingers. 

2.  Dilute  calcined  and  pulverised  alum,  while  it  is  quite 
warm,  into  plantain  water,  and  mix  some  of  the  liquor  in 
which  you  have  dissolved  the  cochineal. 

3.  This  process  will  give  you  a  very  fine  red,  much  pre- 
ferable for  the  wash,  to  that  which  is  made  with  vermilion, 
because  this  last  has  too  much  consistence,  and  besides  tar- 
nishes too  soon,  on  account  of  the  mercury  which  enters  in- 
to its  composition. 

123,     A  secret  to  make  carmine  at  a  small  expense. 

Break  and  bruise  in  a  bell-metal  mortar,  half  a  pound  of 
gold  colour  Fernambourg  Brasil.  Put  this  to  infuse  with  dis- 
tilled vinegar,  in  a  glazed  pipkin,  in  which  boil  it  for  the 
space  of  a  quarter  of  an  hour.  Strain  the  liquor  through  a 
new  strong  cloth  ;  then  set  it  again  on  the  fire  to  boil.  When 
it  boils,  pour  on  it  white  wine  vinegar>  impvepn&ted  with 
Roman  alum.  Stir  well  with  a  wooden  spatula,  and  the  froth 
that  will  arise  is  the  carmine.  Skim  it  carefully  in  a  glass  ves- 
sel, and  set  it  to  dry. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  47 

1 2  4< .    The  proper  varnish  to  be  laid  on  glass  after  painting* 

Boil  oil  of  nuts,  some  litharge,  lead  filings,  and  white  cop- 
peras calcined.  When  done  and  cold,  lay  it  all  over  the  col- 
ours which  you  put  on  the  glass. 

125.    How  to  paint  on  glass  without  fire. 

Take  gum  arabic  and  dissolve  it  in  water  with  common 
salt,  bottle  and  keep  it.  With  this  liquor,  if  you  grind  the 
colours  you  intend  to  paint  with,  they  will  fix  and  eat  in  the 
glass.  Should  you  find  they  do  not  enough,  increase  only  the 
dose  of  salt. 

126.  A  secret  to  render  old  pictures  as  fine  as  new. 

Boil  in  a  new  pipkin,  for  the  space  of  quarter  of  an  hour, 
one  quarter  of  a  pound  of  gray  or  Bril-ash,  and  a  little  Ge- 
noa soap.  Let  it  cool,  to  a  lukewarm,  and  wash  your  picture 
with  it,  then  wipe  it.  Pass  some  olive  oil  on  it,  and  then  wipe 
It  off  again.  This  will  make  it  just  as  fine  as  new. 

127.  An  Oil  to  prevent  Pictures  from  blackening.  It 
may  serve  also  to  make  cloth  to  carry  in  the  pocket ^ 
against  wet  weather. 

Put  some  nut,  or  Hntseed  oil,  in  a  phial,  and  set  it  in  the 
sun  to  purify  it.  When  it  has  deposited  its  dregs  at  the  bot- 
tom, decani  it  gently  into  another  clean  phiat,  and  set  it  again 
in  the  sun  as  before.  Continue  so  doing,  till  it  drops  no  more 
faces  at  all.  And  with  that  oil,  you  make  the  above  compo- 
sition. 

128.     A  Wash  to  clean  Pictures. 

Make  a  lye  with  clear  water  and  wood  ashes;  in  this  dip  a 
sponge,  and  rub  the  picture  over,  and  it  will  cleanse  it  perfect- 
ly. The  same  may  be  done  with  chamber-lye  only;  or  oth- 
erwise, with  white  wine,  and  it  will  have  the  same  effect. 

129.  A  very  curious  and  simple  way ,  of  preventing  fiies 
from  sitting  on  pictures^  or  any  other  furniture^  and 
making  their  dung  there. 

Let  a  large  bunch  of  leeks  soak  for  five  or  six  days  in  a  pail- 
ful of  water,  and  wash  your  picture,  or  any  other  piece  of 
furniture,  with  it.  The  flies  will  never  come  near  any  thing 
so  washed.  This  secret  is  very  important  and  well  expert 
enced. 


4$  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

130.     To  make  Indigo. 

Put  some  hatis,  otherwise  woad,  or  glastum,  with  slacked 
lime,  to  boil  together  in  water.  There  will  rise  a  scum, 
which  being  taken  off,  and  mixed  with  a  little  starch,  makes 
the  indigo. 

131.     To  make  a  Yellow. 

What  the  luteola  dyes  yellow,  becomes  green  by  the  woad, 
or  glastum.  Whence  we  may  justly  conclude,  that  green  is 
not  a  simple  colour,  but  a  mixture  of  blue  and  yellow  ;  as 
the  yellow  itself  is  a  compound  of  red  and  white. 

132,     A  white  for  painter  s>  'which  may  be  preserved  for 
ever. 

Put  into  a  large  pan  three  quarts  of  lintseed  oil,  with  an 
equal  quantity  of  brandy,  and  four  of  the  best  double  dis* 
tilled  vinegar;  three  dozen  of  eggs,  new  laid  and  whole; 
three  or  four  pounds  of  mutton  suet,  chopped  small.  Cover 
all  with  a  lead  plate,  and  lute  it  well.  Lay  this  pan  in  the 
cellar  for  three  weeks,  then  take  skilfully  the  white  off,  the*i 
dry  it.  The  dose  of  the  composition  for  use  is  six  ounce?  of 
that  white  to  every  one  of  bismuth. 

133.     Another  'white  for  ladles  paint. 

To  four  parts  of  hog's  lard  add  one  of  a  kid.  Melt  them 
together,  then  wash  them.  Re-melt  and  wash  them  again. 
Then  add  four  ounces  of  ammoniac  salt,  and  as  much  of 
sulphur,  in  subtile  powder.  This  white  will  keep  a  long 
time. 

134.  A  good  azure. 

Take  two  ounces  of  quicksilver;  sulphur  and  ammoniac 
salt,  of  each  one  ounce.  Grind  all  together,  and  put  it  to 
digest  in  a  matrass  over  a  slow  heat.  Increase  the  fire  a  little; 
and,  when  you  see  an  azured  fume  arising,  take  the  matrass 
off  the  fire.  When  cool,  you  will  find  in  the  matrass  as  beau- 
tiful an  azure  as  the  very  ultramarine  itself. 

135.  A  fine  azure. 

Make  an  incorporation  of  three  ounces  of  verdigrease,  and 
of  an  equal  quantity  of 'ammoniac  salt,  which  dilute  with 
tartar  water,  so  as  to  make  a  thick  paste  of  it.  Put  this  com- 
position into  a  glass,  and  let  it  rest  for  a  few  days,  and  you 
will  have  a  fine  azure. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  4fi> 

136.     A  lively  Isabel  Colour. 

To  make  a  lively  Isabel  colour,  you  must  to  a  quantity  of 
white,  add  one  half  of  yellow,  and  two-thirds  of  red  and  yel* 
low. 

137.     For  a  pale  filbert  colour. 

1  .  Take  burnt  umber,  a  little  yellow,  very  little  white,  and 
Still  less  red. 

2.  This  is  made  darker,  by  adding  a  quantity  of  burnt  um- 
ber, as  much  yellow,  a  little  white,  and  as  much  red. 

138.  For  the  gold  colour. 

To  much  yellow,  join  a  little  more  red  ;  and  this  mixture 
will  give  you  a  very  fine  bright  gold  colour. 

139.  Forthefiesh  colour. 

To  imitate  well  the  complexion,  or  flesh  colour,  you  mi* 
a  little  white  and  yellow  together,  then  add  a  little  more  red 
than  yellow. 

140.     The  straw  colour. 

Much  yellow  ;  very  little  white  5  as  little  red,  and  a  great 
of  gum. 


141.     A  fine  brown. 

1.  Burnt  umber;  much  black  chalk;  a  little  black,  and  a 
little  red  ;  will  make  a  fine  brown,  when  well  incorporated 
together. 

2.  The  same  is  made  paler,  by  decreasing  the  quantity 
of  black  chalk,  and  no  black  at  all  in  the  above  composi* 
tion,  •* 

1  42.     To  make  a  fine  musk  colour. 

Take  burnt  umber  ;  very  little  black  chalk  ;  little  red  and 
a  little  white.  These  ingredients  well  mixed  will  produce  aa 
fine  a  musk  colour  as  ever  was. 

143.     To  make  a  frangipane  colour. 

I.  This  is  made  with  a  little  umber;  twice  as  miich  red, 
and  three  times  as  much  yellow. 

2  The  paler  hue  of  it  is  obtained  by  adding  only  some 
whits,  ind  making  the  quantity  of  red  equal  to  that  of 
yellow, 


$0  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

^144«.     An  olive  colour. 

To  make  the  olive  colour,  take  umber,  not  burnt ; 
;i  little  yellow ;  and  the  quarter  part  of  it  of  red  and  yel- 
-•ow. 

14-5.     How  te  make  skins  and  gloves  take  these  dyes. 

Grind  the  colours  you  have  pitched  upon  with  perfumed 
oil  of  jessamine,  or  orange  flowers.  Then  range  the  grinded 
colour  on  a  corner  of  the  marble  stone.  Grind  of  gum-ad- 
ragant,  an  equal  quantity  as  that  of  the  colours,  soaking  it 
all  the  while  with  orange  flower  water.  Then  grind  both 
the  gum  and  the  colour  together,  in  order  to  incorporate 
them  well.  Put  all  into  a  pan,  and  pour  a  discretionable 
quantity  of  water  over  it,  to  dilute  sufficiently  your  paste. 
Then  with  a  brush,  rub  your  gloves  or  skins  over  with  this 
tinged  liquor,  and  hang  them  in  the  air  to  dry.  When  dry, 
rub  them  with  a  stick.  Give  them  again}  with  the  same  brush 
another  similar  coat  of  the  same  dye,  and  hang  them  again 
to  dry.  When  dry  for  this  second  time,  you  may  dress  them, 
the  colour  is  sufficiently  fixed,  and  there  is  no  fear  of  its  ever 
coming  off. 

146.     To  varnish  a  chimney. 

Blacken  it  first  with  black  and  size.  WThen  this  coat  is  dry, 
lay  another  of  white  lead  over  it,  diluted  in  mere  sized  wa- 
ter. This  being  dry  also,  have  verdigrease  diluted  and  grind- 
ed  with  oil  of  nuts  and  a  coarse  varnish,  and  pass  another 
coat  of  this  over  the  white. 

147.  A  varnish  which  suits  all  sorts  of  prints  and  pic- 
tures ;  stands  <watery  and  makes  the  work  appear  as 
shining  a s  glass* 

Dilute  one  quarter  of  a  pound  of  Venice  turpentine,  with 
a  gill,  or  thereabouts,  of  spirit  of  wine.  If  too  thick,  add 
a  little  more  of  this  last;  if  not  enough,  a  little  of  the  form- 
er, so  that  you  bring  it  to  have  no  more  thickness  than  the 
apparent  one  of  milk.  Lay  one  coat  of  this  on  the  right 
side  of  the  print,  and  when  dry,  it  will  shine  like  glass.  If 
it  be  not  to  your  liking,  you  need  only  lay  another  coat  on  it. 

148.     To  make  appear  in  gold  the  figures  of  a  print. 

1.  After  having  laid  on  both  sides  of  the  print,  one  coat 
of  the  varnish  described  in  the  above  Art*  147,  in  order  to 
make  it  transparent,  let  it  dry  a  little  while.  Then,  before 
H  is  quite  so,  lay  some  gold  in  leaves  on  the  wrong  side  of 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  51- 

the  print,  pressing  gently  on  it  with  the  cotton  you  hold  in 
your  hand.  By  these  means  all  the  parts,  whereon  you  lay 
these  gold  leaves,  will  appear  like  true  massive  gold  on  the 
right  side. 

2.  Now,  when  this  is  all  thoroughly  dry,  lay  on  the  right 
.side  of  it,  one  coat  of  the  varnish  described  in  thepreceeding 
Art.  147,  it  will  then  be  as  good  as  any  crown-glass.  You 
may  also  put  a  paste  board  behind  the  print,  to  support  it 
the  better  in  its  frame. 


A  curious  secret  to  make  a  print  imitate  the  paint* 
ing  on  glass. 

Chuse  a  crown-glass  of  the  size  of  your  print  ;  and  lay  on 
it  two  coats  of  the  following  varnish  : 

1.  Put  on  the  fire,  in  a  glazed  pipkin,  and  let  boil  for  the 
space  of  one  hour,  Venice  turpentine,  four  ounces  ;  spirit  of 
the  same,  and  of  wine,  equal  parts,  one  ounce  and  a  half  of 
each  ;  mastich  in  tears,  two  drachms. 

2.  After  it  has  boiled  the  prescribed  time,  let  it  cool,  and 
then  lay  the  first  coat  on  the  glass  ;  this  being  dry,  lay  ano- 
ther ;  and,  as  soon  as  this  is  nearly  dry,  then  lay  on  it,  as 
neatly  as  possible,  the  print,  previously  prepared  as  follows. 

3.  Have  a  glazed  vessel  so  broad  at  bottom  as  to  admit  of 
the  print  flat  with  all  ease  in  its  full  size.     Let  this  vessel  be 
also  as  wide  at  top  as  it  is  at  bottom,  that  you  may  get  the 
print  in  and  out  of  it  on  its  flat,  without  bending  it  in  the 
least.    Pour  aquafortis  in  this  pan  or  veesel,  enough  to  cover 
ail  the  bottom,  then   lay  the  engraved  side   of  your  print 
on  that  aquafortis.    Take  it  out,  and  wipe  the  aquafortis  off 
gently  with  soft  rags,  then  steep  it  two  or  three  times  in 
three  different  clean  fresh  waters,  and  wipe  it  each  time  in 
the  same  manner. 

4.  This  being  done,  lay  the  right  side  on  the  before-men- 
tioned glass,  before  the  second  coat  of  varnish  be  quite  dry, 
and  while  it  is  still  moist  enough  for  the  print  to  stick  upon 
it  uniformly,  equally,  and  smoothly,  without  making  any 
wrinkles  or  bladders.  When  it  is  perfectly  dried  in  that  situa- 
tion, wet  your  finger  in  common  water,  and  moistening  the 
print  on  the  back  part  in  all  the  white  places,  which  have  re- 
ceived no  impression  from  the  engraving  of  the  plate,  rub  it 
all  off.    By  these  means,  there  will  remain  nothing  but  fairly 
the  printed  parts.     On  them  you  may  paint  in   oil  with  a 
brush,  and  the  most  bright  and  live  colours  ;  and   you  will 
have  pictures,  on  which  neither  dust  nor  any  thing  else  will 
be  able  to  cause  any  damage.    To  do  this,  there  is  no 

of  knowing,  either  how  to  paint  or  draw. 


£2  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

150.     To  prepare  a  transparent  paper  to  chalk  with. 

In  order  to  obtain  the  art  of  chalking  neatly,  and  not  to  go 
out  of  the  fine  turns  and  outlines  of  a  drawing,  beginners 
should  first  know  how  to  prepare  a  transparent  paper,  which, 
as  it  lets  them  see  the  minutest  parts  of  the  strokes  as  through 
a  glass,  gives  them  of  course  an  opportunity  of  acquiring  by 
practice,  a  correctness  in  the  expression  of  all  the  turns  of 
drawing.  This  preparation  is  as  follows  : 

1.  Have,  one  or  several,  sheets  of  fine  and  very  thin  paper, 
and  rub  them  over  with  oil,  or  spirit,  of  turpentine,  mixed 
in  double  the  quantity  of  oil  of  nuts.    To  cause  the  paper 
to  imbibe  that  mixture,  steep  a  sponge  or  feather  in  it,  which 
pass  on  both  sides  of  the  paper,  and  then  let  it  dry. 

2.  When  you  want  to  use  it,  lay  it  on  a  print.  Then,  with 
a  brush,  a  pencil,  or  a  pen,  pass  over  all  the  strokes,  lines  and 
turns,  of  the  design  laid  under.    Yon  may  even  thus  learn  to 
shade  with  neatness,  if  you  wash  that  same  design,  while  fix- 
ed on  the  original  print,  with  India  ink. 

By  practising  often  you  may  learn  to  draw  very  neatly,  and 
even  with  boldness.  This  method  will  certainly  prove  very 
useful,  and  entertaining,  for  those  who  have  not  the  patience 
to  learn  by  the  common  method,  which  seems  too  tedious  to 
some,  and  generally  dirgusts  beginners* 

151.     Hoiu  to  dra*w  on  g/ats. 

Grind  lamp-black  with  gum-water  and  some  common  salt. 
With  a  pen  or  hair  pencil,  draw  your  design  on  the  glass, 
and  afterwards  shade  and  pairit  it  with  any  of  the  following 
compositions. 

152.     A  colour  for  grounds  on  glass. 

1.  Take  iron  filings  and  Dutch  yellow  beads,  equal  parts, 
If  you  want  to  have  a  little  red  cast,  add  a  little  copper 
filings.      With  a  steel  mullar  grind  all  these  together  on  a 
thick  and  strong  copper  plate,  or  on  porphyry.     Then  add  a 
little  gum-arabic,  borax,  common  salt  and  clear  water.     Mix 
these  a  little,  fluid,  and  put  the  composition  in  a  phial  for  use. 

2.  When  you  come  to  make  use  of  it,  you  have  nothing 
to  do  but  with  a  hair  pencil  lay  it  quite  flat  on  the  design  you 
had  drawn  the  day  before  ;  and  having  left  this  to  dry  also 
for  another  day,  with  the  quill  of  a  turkey,  the  nib  of  which 
shall  not  be  split,  you  heighten  the  lights  in  the  same  manner 
as  you  do  with  crayons  on  blue  paper.     Whenever  you  put 
more  coats  of  the  above  composition  one  upon  another,  the 
shade,  you  must  be  sensible,  will  naturally  be  stronger.    And 
when  this  is  finished,  you  lay  your  colours  for  garments  an4 
complexions  as  follows* 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES- 


153.     Preparation  of  lake,  for  glass. 

Grind  the  lake  with  a  water  impregnated  with  gum  and 
salt  ;  and  then  make  use  of  it  with  the  brush.  —  The  shading 
is  operated  by  laying  a  double,  treble,  or  more  coats  of  the 
colour,  where  you  want  it  darker.  And  so  it  is  of  all  the 
following  compositions  of  colours. 


Preparation  of  the  blue  purple  y  for  glass* 

Make  a  compound  of  lake  and  indigo,  grinded  together 
with  gum  and  salt  water  ;  and  use  it  as  it  as  directed  in  the 
preceding  article. 

155.     Preparation  of  the  green  for  glass. 

Indigo  mixed  wi;h  a  proportionable  quantity  of  gamboge^ 
and  grinded  together  as  above,  will  answer  the  intended 
purpose. 

156.     Preparation  of  the  yellow  for  the  same. 
Gamboge  grinded  with  salt  water  only, 

156.     Preparation  of  the  white. 

You  have  only  to  heighten  much  the  white  parts  with  a 
pen. 

157.     The  prepa  ration  of  verdigrease. 

Grind  the  verdigrease  with  vinegar,  and  put  it  in  a  piece  of 
brown  bread  dough.  Bake  it  as  you  would  bread  ;  and  when 
done,  cut  it  open  and  take  it  out.  You  will  then  have  a  very 
fine  verdigrease,  fit  to  work  with,  either  in  oil  or  water,  as  you 
like. 

158.     A  fine  liquid  Green. 

Mix  well  together,  one  pound  of  Montpelier  verdigrease, 
and  half  a  pound  of  white  tartar  from  the  same  place.  Put 
this  a  soaking  for  twelve  hours  in  two  quarts  of  the  strongest 
vinegar,  then  reduce  it  by  boiling  to  one  half.  Let  it  rest  for 
two  days,  and  filter  it  afterwards  in  a  bottle,  wherein  you 
keep  it  for  use. 

159.     To  make  a  fine  Vermilion. 

Make  a  mixture  of  cochineal  powder  and  burnt  alum.—  • 
Stifie  it  quite  hot  in  rose  or  plantain  water.  It  will  give  you 
Jjie  finest  vermilion  in  the  world. 


Si  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 


160.     A  secret  to  draw  without  either  ink  or  pencil. 

Rub  a  sheet  of  paper  with  tripoly.  Then,  with  any  blunt 
point,  form  your  drawing  on  it.  Whatever  you  trace  will  be 
visible. 

161.  To  make  an  imitatitn  of  enamel  on  tin>  for  chim- 

ney branches  j  &c. 

Get  a  sheet  of  block-tin  very  clean,  and  cut  it  in  the  form, 
shape,  and  figure  you  chuse  to  make  your  flowers  and  other 
things.  Grind  what  colours  you  propose  to  make  use  of, 
with  clean  water,  and  each  separately,  then  let  them  dry. 
\Vhen  you  want  to  employ  them,  dilute  them,  each  apart, 
with  liquid  varnish,  and  lay  them  on  with  the  brush.  Set  the 
work  in  the  open  air  for  fear  the  colours  should  run,  and 
when  they  are  a  little  thickened  arid  consolidated,  finish  dry- 
ing them  before  a  gentle  fire. 

162.  A  valuable  secret  to  make  exceeding  good  Crayons^ 
as  hard  as  red  chalk,  discovered  by  Prince  Rupert, 
brother  to  Prince  Palatin. 

Grind  on  the  stone  some  tobacco-pipe  clay,  with  common 
water,  so  as  to  make  a  paste  of  it.  Then  take  separately  each 
colour,  and  grind  them,  when  dry,  on  the  stone,  so  fine  as  to 
sift  them  through  a  silk  sieve.  Mix,  of  each  of  the  colours, 
with  your  first  white  paste,  as  much  as  will  make  it  of  a  higher 
or  paler  hue,  and  embody  the  whole  with  a  little  common 
iioney  and  gum-arabic  water. 

Note.  You  must  be  attentive  to  make  crayons  of  Various 
degrees  of  hues  in  each  colour,  for  the  chiaros  and  oscuros, 
or  lights  and  shades.  Then  roll  each  crayon  between  two 
boards  very  clean,  and  set  them  to  dry  on  paper  for  two  days 
in  the  shade.  To  complete  their  drying,  lay  them  In  the  sun  j 
and  then  you  may  use  them  with  satisfaction. 

168.     A  fine  red  water,  for  Miniature  Painting. 

1«  Put  in  a  new  glazed  pipkin  one  ounce  of  Fernamburg 
Jftrazil  wood,  finely  rasped.  Pour  three  pints  of  spring  water 
on  it,  with  six  drachms  of  fine  white  isinglass  chopped  very 
small.  Place  the  pot  on  warm  ashes,  for  three  days,  during 
which  you  are  to  keep  up  the  same  degree  of  heat. 

2.  When  the  isinglass  is  melted,  and  two  ounces  of  kerrnes 
in  grain,  one  of  alum,  and  three  drachms  of  borax,  well  pound- 
ed, Boil  this  gently  to  the  retfutf  i?»  of  oae  half  3  then  gtwa 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  55 

the  liquor  through  a  cloth,  bottle  and  stop  it  well,  and  set  it 
in  the  sun  for  a  week  before  using. 

Note.    This  water  may  very  properly  be  used  as  a  wash 
to  give  an  agreeable  bloom  to  pale  faces.  • 

164?.     Directions  for  the  mixture  of  Colours. 

1.  The  pale  yellow  for  the  lights,  is  made  with  white  mas* 
sicot.  The  chiaro  oscuro,  with  the  massicot  and  umber.   The 
dark  shade  with  umber  alone. 

2.  The  orange  colour  is  made  with  black  lead  for  the  lights, 
Shade  with  the  lake. 

3.  The  lake  is  used  very  clear  for  the  light?,  in  draperies, 
and  thicker  for  the  shades. 

4.  The  purple  is  made  with  blue,  white,  and  lake,  for  the 
lights;  blue  and  lake  only  for  the  clear  shades,  and  indigo 
and  blue  for  the  darker  ones. 

5.  The  pale  blue  is  used  for  the  lights,  and  for  the  clear 
shades  a  little  thicker;  but  for  the  darker  shades,  mix  the 
indigo  and  blue  together. 

6.  The  gold  like  yellow  is  made  with  yellow  massicot  for 
the  lights  ;  and  the  clear  shades  with  a  mixture  of  black  lead 
and  massicot ;  the  darker  shade  .with  lake,  yellow  ochre,  and 
very  little  blaek  lead ;  and  the  darker  of  all,  with  Cologn 
earth  and  lake. 

7.  The  green  is  of  two  sorts.    The  first  made  with  massi- 
cot and  blue,  or  blue  and  white ;  and  for  the  shade?,  make 
the  blue  predominate  in  the  mixture.  The  other  is  made  with 
calcined  green ;  and  French  berries  juice,  mixed  and  calcined 
green  ;  and  you  may  form  their  shades  by  additien  of  indigo. 

8.  For  trees  you  mix  green  and  umber  together. 

9.  The  grounds  are  made  in  the  same  way ;  wherever  there 
is  any  green,  take  calcined  green,  with  French  berries  juice. 

10.  For  the  distances,  mix  green  and  blue  together;  and 
mountains  are  always  made  with  blue. 

11.  The  skies  are  likewise  made  with  blue,  but  you  must 
,add  a  little  yellow  to  them,  when  it  comes  near  the  moun- 
tains ;  to  make  the  transition  between  that  and  the  blue,  mix 
a  little  lake  and  blue  together  to  soften  it. 

12.  Clouds  are  made  with  purple  ;  if  they  be  obscure,  you 
must  mix  lake  and  indigo  together. 

13.  Stones  are  made  with  white  and  yellow  mixed  togeth- 
er, and  their  shades  with  black. 

1,65.     To  take  off  instantly  a  copy  from  a  pr\nt%  or  a  pic* 
ture. 

Make  a  water  of  soap  and  alum,  with  which  wet  a  cloth  or 
j  lay  either  on  a  print  or  picture,  and  pass  it 


S6  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

under  the  rolling-press ;  then  going  round  the  other  side  to 
take  it  up,  you  will  have  a  very  fine  copy  of  whatever  you. 
shall  have  laid  it  upon. 

166.     To  make  the  Spanish  ladies  rouge. 

Vermilion,  carefully  laid  on  a  sheet  of  paper,  from  which, 
by  means  of  wetting  the  tip  of  your  finger  with  your  spittle, 
then  take  it  off,  at  will,  and  rub  your  cheeks,  lips,  &c.  The 
method  of  making  it  is  as  follows, 

1.  Take  good  scarlet  flocks  and  spirit  of  wine,  or  in  their 
stead,  lemon-juice.    Boil  the  whole  in  an  earthen  pot,  well 
glazed  and  well  stopped,  till  the  spirit  of  wine,  or  lemon- 
juice,  has  charged  itself  with  all  the  colour  of  the  scarlet 
flocks.    Strain  this  dye  through  a  cloth,  asd  wring  it  hard,  to 
express  well  all  the  colour  out.  Boil  it  afterwards  with  a  little 
arabic  water,  till  the  colour  becomes  very  deep. 

2.  On  half  a  pound  of  scarlet  flocks  you  mu^t  put  four 
ounces  of  spirit  of  wine,  and  a  sufficient  quantity  of  water, 
to  soak  well  the  flocks.  Then  in  the  colour  you  extract  from 
it,  put  the  bulk  of  a  filbert  of  gum  arabic,  and  boil  the  whole 
in  a  silver  porringer.    When  this  is  ready,  as  we  said  before, 
proceed  as  follows. 

3.  Steep  some  cotton  in  the  colour,  and  wet  some  sheets 
of  paper  with  it ;  then  let  them  dry  in  the  shade.    Repeat 
this  wetting,  drying  of  the  same  sheets  over  again,  many 
times,  till  you  find  they  are  charged  with  rouge  to  your  satis- 
faction. 

167.     A  fine  lakey  made  'with  shell-lac. 

1.  Boil  and  skim  well,  sixteen  pounds  of  chamber-lye; 
then  put  in  one  pound  of  fine  shell-lac,  with  5  ounces  of  roch 
alum,  in  powder.    Boil  altogether,  till  you  see  the  chamber- 
lye  is  well  charged  with  the  colour,  which  you  may  easily 
know,  by  steeping  a  bit  of  white  rag  in  it  ;  then  take  it  out 
again,  to  see  whether  or  not  the  colour  please  you  j  and  if 
it  do  not,  let  it  boil  longer,  repeating  the  same  trial,  till  you 
are  perfectly  satisfied. 

2.  Throw  now  the  liquor  in  a  flannel   bag,  and  without 
suffering  what  runs  into  the  pan  under  to  settle,  repour  it  into 
the  bag  so  many  times,  till  the  liquor  runs  at  last  quite  clear* 
and  not  tinged.    Then  with  a  wooden  spatula,  take  off  the 
lake,  which  is  in  form  of  curd,  form  it  into  small  cakes,  or 
balls,  and  dry  them  in  a  shade  on  new  tiles ;  then  keep  them 
for  use. 

168.     An  Azure  as  fine  as>  and  'which  looks  similar  to» 

Ultramarine. 
Grind  well  tocether  into  nowder  three  ounces  of 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  M 

niac  salt,  and  six  of  verdigrease.  Then  wet  it  in  continuing 
to  grind  it  with  oil  of  tartar,  till  you  have  made  it  pretty  fluid. 
Put  this  into  a  glass  matrass,  and  bury  it  five  days  in  hot  dung. 
At  the  end  of  that  term  you  will  find  your  composition  turn- 
ed into  a  fine  azure. 

169.     A  very  fine  method  for  Marbling  Paper. 

The  paper  must  first  be  prepared,  by  wetting  the  paper 
with  a  sponge  dipped  in  roch-alum  water,  then  letting  it  dry. 
When  the  sheets  have  been  thus  prepared,  have  a  pan  full  of 
xvater,  and  with  a  large  and  long-handled  painting-brush,  take 
of  one  colour,  and  shake  it  in  the  water ;  take  of  another  and 
do  the  same,  and  so  on  till  you  have  taken  of  all  the  colours 
you  intend  to  have  on  your  paper.  Each  of  these  colours  fall 
to  the  bottom  of  the  water ;  but  take  with  a  similar  brush  as 
the  first,  a  mixture  of  bullock's  gall,  and  of  dissolution  of  soap 
in  water,  then  shake  on  the  water,  and  all  over  the  surface, 
and  you  will  soon  see  all  the  colours  rising  up  again  and 
swimming  on  the  top  of  the  water  each  separately  as  you  first 
put  them.  Then  lay  the  sheet  of  paper  on  it,  give  it  a  turn 
on  one  side  or  the  other,  as  you  like,  and  take  it  up  again  ; 
wash  and  set  it  to  dry,  then  burnish  it,  and  it  is  done. 

1 70.     To  gild  on  Glasses,  Earthen  >  or  CJiina  Wares. 

Take  a  glass,  or  china  cup,  wet  it,  and  lay  your  gold  where 
and  how  you  like,  then  let  it  dry.  Dissolve  some  borax  in 
water,  and  of  this  liquor  lay  a  coat  on  your  gold.  Set  it  in 
the  fire  till  your  glass  powder  in  melting  makes  a  varnish  on 
the  gilded  parts,  which  will  then  appear  very  beautiful. 

171.  To  write  9  or  paint)  in  sifoer>  especially  with  a  pencil. 

Pound  well,  in  a  bell-metal  mortar,  some  tin  glass ;  then 
grind,  and  dilute  it,  OR  porphyry,  with  common  water.  Let 
it  settle,  and  throw  off  the  water,  which  will  be  black  and 
dirty.  Reiterate  this  lotion  so  many  times,  till  the  water  re- 
mains clear.  Then  dilute  it  in  gum-water,  and  either  write  or 
paint  with  ft.  It  will  appear  very  handsome,  and  no  ways  in- 
ferior to  the  finest  virgin  silver. 

172.  To  Silver  the  Cqnvex  side  of  Meniscus  Glasses  fir 

Mirrors. 

Take  an  earthen  plate,  on  which  pour  some  prepared  plas- 
ter of  Paris,  mixed  with  water,  of  a  proper  coasistence ;  then 
immediately,  before  it  grows  too  stiff,  lay  the  meniscus  with 
its  convex  side  downward,  in  the  middle  of  the  plate,  and 
press  it  until  it  lies  quite  close  to  the  plaster  ;  in  which  situ- 


SS  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADED 

ation  let  it  remain  until  the  plaster  becomes  quite  dry  ;  after 
which,  work  a  groove  with  your  finger,  round  the  outside  of 
the  meniscus,  in  order  to  let  the  superfluous  mercury  rest 
upon  it ;  tlwn  cut  the  tinfoil  to  a  proper  size,  and  press  it 
with  the  meniscus  into  the  plaster  mould,  in  order  to  make  it 
lie  close  ;  after  which,  cover  it  with  the  mercury,  and,  with- 
out a  paper  (as  directed  for  silvering  plain  mirrors,)  slide  it 
over  the  silvered  foil ;  then  place  a  weight  on  it,  and  let  it 
stand  two  or  three  days,  raising  it  by  degrees,  that  the  mer- 
cury may  drip  off  gradually. 

After  this  method  common  window  glass,  &c.  may  be 
silvered. 

173.     Tinning  of  Iron* 

When  iron  plates  are  to  be  tinned,  they  are  first  scoured, 
£nd  then  put  into  what  is  called  a  pickle,  which  is  oil  of  vit- 
riol diluted  with  water  ;  this  dissolves  the  rust  or  oxyd  that 
was  left  after  scouring,  and  renders  the  surface  perfectly  clean. 
They  are  then  again  washed  and  scoured.  They  are  now 
dipped  into  a  vessel  full  of  melted  tin,  the  surface  of  which  is 
covered  with  fat  or  oil,  to  defend  it  from  the  action  of  the 
air.  By  this  means,  the  iron  coming  into  contact  with  the 
melted  tin  in  a  perfectly  metallic  state,  it  comes  out  com- 
pletely coated. 

When  a  small  quantity  of  iron  only  is  to  be  tinned,  it  is 
heated,  and  the  tin  rubbed  on  with  a  piece  of  cloth,  or  some 
tow,  having  first  sprinkled  the  iron  with  some  powdered  re- 
sin, the  use  of  which  is  to  reduce  the  tin  that  may  be  oxyda- 
ted.  Any  inflammable  substance,  as  oil  for  instance,  will 
have  in  some  degree  the  same  effect,  which  is  owing  to  their 
attraction  for  oxygen. 

174«.     Tinning  of  Copper. 

Sheets  of  copper  may  be  tinned  in  the  same  manner  as  iron. 
Copper  boilers,  saucepans,  and  other  kitchen  utensils,  are  tin- 
ned after  they  are  made.  They  are  first  scoured,  then  made 
hot,  and  the  tin  rubbed  on  as  before  with  resin.  Nothing 
ought  to  be  used  for  this  purpose  but  pure  grain  tin ;  but 
lead  is  frequently  mixed  with  the  tin,  both  to  adulterate  its 
quality,  and  make  it  lay  on  more  easily  ;  but  it  is  a  very  per- 
nicious practice,  and  ought  to  be  severely  reprobated. 

175.      SOLDERING. 

Soldering  is  the  art  of  joining  two  pieces  of  metal  together 
by  heating  them,  with  a  thin  piece  of  plate  or  metal  interpos- 
ed between  them.  Thus  tin  is  a  solder  for  lead  :  brass.* 
gcldj  or  siiver,  are  solders  for  iron,  &c. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  ^ 

176.     To  make  Silver  Solder. 

Melt  fine  silver  two  parts,  brass  one  part ;  do  not  keep 
them  long  in  fusion,  lest  the  brass  fly  off  in  fumes. 

177.     A  Solder  for  Gold. 

Melt  copper  one  part,  fine  silver  one  part,  and  gold  two 
parts;  add  a  little  borax  when  it  is  just  melted,  then  pour  it 
out  immediately. 

178,     The  method  of  Soldering  Gold  or  Silver. 

After  the  solder  is  cast  into  an  ingot,  it  would  be  more 
ready  for  use  if  you  were  to  draw  it  into  small  wire,  or  flat  it 
between  two  rollers ;  after  that  cut  it  into  little  bits,  then 
join  your  work  together  with  fine  soft,  iron  wire,  and  with  a 
camel's-  hair  pencil  dipt  in  borax  finely  powdered,  and  well 
moistened  with  water,  touch  the  joint  intended  to  be  solder- 
ed ;  placing  a  little  solder  upon  the  joint,  apply  it  upon  a 
large  piece  of  charcoal,  and,  with  a  blow-pipe  and  lamp,  blow 
upon  it  through  the  flame  until  it  melts  the  solder,  and  it  is 
done. 


179. 


Apply  resin  when  ycu  use  this  solder 


180.     A  Solder  for  Tin. 

Take  four  part ;  of  pewter,  one  of  tin,  and  one  of  bismuth  ; 
melt  them  together,  and  run  them  into  narraw  thin  lengths. 

181.     A  Solder  for  Iron. 

Nothing  here  is  necessary,  but  good  tough  hrass,  with  bo- 
rax applied,  mixed  with  water  to  the  con  >isience  of  paste. 

182.      MOULDING  AND   CASTING. 

The  art  of  taking  casts  or  impressions  from  pieces  of  sculp- 
ture, medals,  &c.  is  of  very  great  importance  in  the  fine  arts. 

In  order  to  procure  a  copy  or  cast  from  any  figure,  bust, 
medal,  &c.  it  is  necessary  to  obtain  a  mould,  by  pressing 
upon  the  thing  to  be  moulded  or  copied,  some  substance 
which,  when  soft,  is  capable  of  being  forced  into  all  the  cavi- 
ties or  hollows  of  the  sculpture.  When  this  mould  is  dry 
and  hard,  some  substance  is  poured  into  it,  which' will  fill  all 


to  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

the  cavities  of  the  mould,  and  represent  the  form  of  the 
original  from  which  the  mould  was  taken. 

The  particular  mariner  of  moulding  depends  upon  the  form 
of  the  subject  to  be  worked  upon.  When  there  are  no  pro- 
jecting parts  but  such  as  form  a  right  or  a  greater  angle  with 
the  principal  surface  of  the  body,  nothing  more  is  required 
than  to  cov^r  it  over  with  the  substance  of  which  the  mould 
is  to  be  fopfee-d,  taking  care  to  press  it  well  into  all  the  cav- 
ities of  ther  "original,  and  to  take  it  off  clean,  and  without 
bending. 

The  substances  used  for  moulding  are  various,  according 
to  the  nature  and  situation  of  the  sculpture.  If  it  may  be 
-laid  horizontally,  and  will  bear  to  be  oiled  without  injury, 
plaster  of  Paris  may  be  advantageously  employed,  which  may 
be  poured  over  it  to  a  convenient  thickness,  after  oiling  it,  to 
prevent  the  plaster  from  sticking.  A  composition  of  bees 
wax,  resin,  and  pitch,  may  also  be  used,  which  will  be  a  very- 
desirable  mould,  if  many  casts  are  to  be  taken  from  it.  But 
if  the  situation  of  the  sculpture  be  perpendicular,  so  that  no- 
thing can  be  poured  upon  it,  then  clay,  or  some  similar  sub- 
stance, must  be  used.  The  best  kind  of  clay  for  this  purpose 
is  that  used  by  the  sculptors  for  making  their  models  with  ; 
it  must  be  worked  to  a  due  consistence,  and  having  spread  it 
out  to  a  size  sufficient  to  cover  all  the  surface,  it  must  be 
sprinkled  over  with  whiting,  to  prevent  it  from  adhering  to 
the  original.  Bees  wax  and  dough,  .or  the  crumbs  of  new 
bread,  may  also  be  used  for  moulding  some  small  subjects. 

"When  there  are  undercuttings  in  the  bas  relief,  they  must 
be  first  filled  up  before  it  can  be  moulded,  otherwise  the 
mould  could  not  be  got  off.  When  the  casts  are  taken  after- 
wards, these  places  must  be  worked  out  with  a  proper  tool. 

When  the  model,  or  original  subject,  is  of  a  round  form> 
or  projects  so  much  that  it  cannot  be  moulded  in  this  man- 
ner, the  mould  must  be  divided  into  several  parts ;  and  it  is 
frequently  necessary  to  cast  several  parts  separately,  and  af- 
terwards to  join  them  together.  In  this  case,  the  plaster  must 
be  tempered  with  water  to  such  a  consistence,  that  it  may  be 
worked  like  soft  paste,  and  must  be  laid  on  with  some  con« 
venient  instrument,  compressing  it  so  as  to  make  it  adapt  it- 
self to  all  parts  of  the  surface.  When  the  model  is  so  covered 
to  a  convenient  thickness,  the  whole  must  be  left  at  rest  till 
the  plaster  is  set  and  firm,  so  as  to  bear  dividing  without  fall- 
ing to  pieces,  or  being  liable  to  be  put  out  of  its  form  by  any 
slight  violence ;  and  it  must  then  be  divided  into  pieces,  in 
order  to  its  being  taken  off  from  the  model,  by  cutting  it  with 
a  knife  with  a  very  thin  blade ;  and  being  divided,  must  be 
cautiously  taken  off,  and  kept  till  dry :  but  it  must  be  obser- 
ved, before  the  separation  of  the  parts  be  made,  to  notch  them 
across  the  joints,,  or  lines  of  division,  at  proper  distance^  that 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  61 

they  may  with  ease  and  certainty  be  properly  put  together 
again.  The  art  of  properly  dividing  the  moulds,  in  order  to 
make  them  separate  from  the  model,  requires  more  dexterity 
and  skill  than  any  other  thing  in  the  art  of  casting,  and  does 
not  admit  of  rules  for  the  most  advantageous  conduct  of  it 
in  every  case.  Where  the  subject  is  of  a  round  or  spheroidal 
form,  it  is  best  to  divide  the  mould  into  three  parts,  which 
will  then  easily  come  off  from  the  model ;  and  the  same  will 
hold  good  of  a  cylinder,  or  any  regular  curve  figure. 

The  mould  being  thus  formed,  and  dry,  and  the  parts  put 
together,  it  must  be  first  oiled,  and  placed  in  such  a  position 
that  the  hollow  may  lie  upwards,  and  then  filled  with  plaster 
mixed  with  water ;  and  when  the  cast  is  perfectly  set  and 
dry,  it  must  be  taken  out  of  the  mould,  and  repaired  when 
necessary,  which  finishes  the  operation. 

In  larger  masses,  where  there  would  otherwise  be  a  great 
thickness  of  the  plaster,  a  core  may  be  put  within  the  mould, 
in  order  to  produce  a  hollow  in  the  cast,  which  both  saves  the 
expence  of  the  plaster,  and  renders  the  cast  lighter. 

In  the  same  manner,  figures,  busts,  &c.  may  be  cast  of 
lead,  or  any  other  metal  in  the  moulds  of  plaster  or  clay  ; 
taking  care,  however,  that  the  moulds  be  perfectly  dry ;  for 
should  there  be  any  moisture,  the  sudden  heat  of  the  metal 
would  convert  it  into  vapour,  which  would  produce  an  ex- 
plosion by  its  expansion,  and  blow  the  melted  metal  about, 

183.     Isinglass  Glue. 

Isinglass  glue  is  made  by  dissolving  beaten  isinglass  in  water 
by  boiling,  and,  having  strained  it  through  a  course  linen 
cloth,  evaporating  it  again  to  such  a  consistence,  that  being 
cold,  the  glue  will  be  perfectly  hard  and  dry. 

This  cement  is  improved  by  dissolving  the  isinglass  in  any 
proof  spirit  by  heat,  or  by  adding  to  it,  when  dissolved  in 
water,  an  equal  quantity  of  spirits  of  wine. 

It  is  still  further  improved  by  adding  to  the  isinglass,  pre- 
vious to  its  solution  in  spirits,  one  third  of  its  weight  of  gum 
ammoniac.  Expose  the  mixture  to  a  boiling  heat,  until  the 
isinglass  and  gum  are  dissolved,  and  until  a  drop  of  the  com- 
position becomes  stiff  instant.ly  a?  it  cools.  It  will  at  any  fu- 
ture time  melt  with  a  degree  of  heat  little  exceeding  that  of 
the  human  body,  and,  in  consequence  of  so  soon  becoming 
stiff  on  cooling,  forms  a  very  valuable  cement  for  many  pur- 
poses, particularly  for  the  very  nice  and  delicate  one  of  fix- 
ing on  the  antennae,  legs,  £c.  of  insects  in  cabinets  of  natural 
history.  The  easy  melting  of  this  cement  is  no  objection  to 
its  use,  in  cases  where  the  articles  themselves  may  afterwards 
be  exposed  to  moderate  heat ;  for  it  owes  thh  property  only 
to  the  presence  of  the  spirit,  which  evaporates  soon  after  it 
G 


62  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

has  been  applied.  When  used  to  join  broken  glass  or  china? 
the  pieces  to  be  joined  should  be  previously  warmed.  Im- 
mersion in  hot  water  will  give  them  a  sufficient  degree  of 
heat.  Wipe  off  the  water  before  applying  the  cement,  which 
may  be  laid  on  with  a  pencil ;  then  press  the  pieces  together, 
binding  them  with  a  string  or  bit  of  soft  wire,  if  necessary. 

_  This  isinglass  glue  is  far  preferable  to  common  glue  for 
nice  purposes,  being  much  stronger,  and  less  liable  to  be 
softened  either  by  heat  or  moisture. 

184.     A  good  Glue  for  Sign- Boards,  or  any  thing  that 
must  stand  the  weather, 

Melt  common  glue  with  water  to  a  proper  consistence  ; 
then  add  .one  eighth  of  boiled  linseed  oil,  dropping  it  into  the 
glue  gently,  and  stirring  it  all  the  time. 

A  very  strong  glue  is  made  by  adding  some  powdered 
chalk  to  common  glue. 

Another  that  will  resist  water  is  made  by  adding  half  a 
pound  of  common  glue  to  two  quarts  of  skimmed  milk. 

185.     Lapland  Glue. 

The  bows  of  the  Laplanders  are  composed  of  two  pieces 
of  wood  glued  together ;  one  of  them  of  birch,  which  is  flex- 
ible, and  the  other  of  fir  of  the  marshes,  which  is  stiff,  in  or- 
der that  the  bow  when  bent  may  not  break,  and  that  when 
unbent  it  may  not  bend.  When  these  two  pieces  of  wood 
are  bent,  all  the  points  of  contact  endeavour  to  disunite  them- 
selves, and  to  prevent  this,  the  Laplanders  employ  the  fol- 
lowing cement :  they  take  the  skinns  of  the  largest  perches,* 
and  having  dried  them,  moisten  them  in  cold  water  until  they 
are  so  soft  that  they  may  be  freed  from  the  scales,  which  they 
throw  away.  They  then  put  four  or  five  of  these  skins  into 
a  rein-deer's  bladder,  or  they  wrap  them  up  in  the  soft  bark 
of  the  birch  tree,  in  such  a  manner,  that  water  cannot  touch 
them,  and  place  them  thus  covered  into  a  pot  of  boiling  wa- 
ter, with  a  stone  above  them  to  keep  them  at  the  bottom. 
When  they  have  boiled  about  an  hour,  they  take  them  from 
the  bladder  or  bark,  and  they  are  then  found  to  be  soft  and 
viscous.  In  this  state  they  employ  them  for  glueing  togeth- 
er the  two  pieces  of  their  bows,  which  they  strongly  compress 
and  tie  up  till  the  glue  is  well  dried.  These  pieces  never 
afterwards  separate. 

186.     Turkey  Cement,  for  joining  Metals,  Glass,  ferV. 
Dissolve  five  or  six  bits  of  mastich,  as  large  as  peas,  in  at 
*  It  is  probable  that  eel-skins  would  answer  the  same  purpose. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  w 

much  spirits  of  wine  as  will  suffice  to  render  it  liquid;  in 
another  vessel  dissolve  as  much  isinglass  (which  has  been  pre- 
viously soaked  in  water  till  it  is  swollen  and  soft,)  in  brandy 
or  rum,  as  will  make  two  ounces  by  measure,  of  strong  glue, 
and  add  two  small  bits  of  gum  galbanum,  or  ammoniacum,, 
which  must  be  rubbed  or  ground  till  they  are  dissolved  ;  then 
mix  the  whole  with  a  sufficient  heat ;  keep  it  in  a  phial 
stopt,  and  when  it  is  to  be  used  set  it  in  hot  water. 

187.     Another   Cement   that   will  stand  the  action  of 
boiling  water  and  jteam. 

Take  two  ounces  of  sal  ammoniac,  one  ounce  ®f  flowers  of 
sulphur,  and  sixteen  ounces  of  cast  iron  filings  or  borings* 
Mix  all  well  together  by  rubbing  them  in  a  mortar,  and  keep 
the  powder  dry. 

When  the  cement  is  wanted  for  use,  take  one  part  of  the 
above  powder,  and  twenty  parts  of  clean  iron  borings  or  fil- 
ings, and  blend  them  intimately  by  grinding  them  in  a  mor- 
tar. Wet  the  compound  with  water,  and  when  brought  to 
a  convenient  consistence,  apply  it  to  the  joints  with  a  wood- 
en or  blunt  iron  spatula. 

By  a  play  of  affinities,  which  those  who  are  at  all  acquaint- 
ed with  chemistry  will  be  at  no  loss  to  comprehend,  a  degree 
of  action  and  re-action  takes  place  among  the  ingredients,  and 
between  them  and  the  iron  surfaces,  which  at  last  causes  the 
whole  to  unite  as  one  mass.  In  fact,  after  a  time,  the  mix- 
ture and  the  surfaces  of  the  flanches  become  a  species  of  py- 
rites (holding  a  very  large  proportion  of  iron,)  all  the  parts  of 
which  cohere  strongly  together. 

188.     Blood  Cement. 

A  cement  often  used  by  copper-smiths  to  lay  over  the  riv. 
cts  and  edges  of  the  sheets  of  copper  in  large  boilers,  to  serve 
as  an  additional  security  to  the  joinings,  and  to  secure  cocks, 
&c.  from  leaking,  is  made  by  mixing  pounded  quick-lime 
with  ox's  blood.  It  must  be  applied  fresh  made,  as  it  soon 
gets  hard. 

We  believe  if  the  properties  of  this  cement  were  duly  in- 
vestigated, it  would  be  found  useful  for  many  purposes  to 
which  it  has  never  yet  been  applied.  It  is  extremely  cheap, 
arid  very  durable. 

189.     Japanese  Cement,  or  Rice  Glue. 

This  elegant  cement  is  made  by  mixing  rice  flour  intimate. 
ly  with  cold  water,  and  then  gently  boiling  it.  It  is  beauti- 
fully white,  and  dries  almost  transparent.  Papers  pasted  to- 
gelher  by  msans  of  this  cement  will  sooner  separate  in  their 


64  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

own  substance  than  at  the  joining,  which  makes  it  extremely- 
useful  in  the  preparation  of  curious  paper  articles,  as  tea  tray?, 
ladies'  dressing  boxes,  and  other  articles  which  require  layers 
of  paper  to  be  cemented  together.  It  is  in  every  respect 
preferable  to  common  paste  made  with  wheat  flour,  for  al- 
most every  purpose  to  which  that  article  is  usually  applied. 
It  answers  well  in  particular,  for  pasting  into  books  the  cop- 
ies of  writings  taken  off  by  copying  machines  on  unsized 
silver  paper. 

With  this  composition,  made  with  a  small  quantity  of  wa- 
ter, that  it  may  have  a  consistence  similar  to  plastic  clay, 
models,  busts,  statue?,  basso  relievos,  and  the  like,  may  be 
formed*  When  dry,  the  articles  made  of  it  are  susceptible 
of  a  high  polish  ;  they  are  also  very  durable. 

The  Japanese  make  quadrille  fish  of  this  substance,  which 
so  nearly  resemble  those  made  of  mother  of  pearl,  that  the 
officers  of  our  East  Indiamen  are  often  imposed  upon. 

190.     A  method  of  Silvering  Ivory. 

Take  a  slip  of  ivory,  immerse  it  in  a  weak  solution  of  ni- 
trate of  silver,  and  let  it  remain  in  it  till  the  ivory  has  acquir- 
ed a  bright  yellow  colour ;  then  take  it  out  of  the  solution, 
and  immerse  it  in  a  tumbler  of  pure  water,  and  expose  it  in 
the  water,  to  the  rays  of  a  very  bright  sun.  After  the  ivory 
has  been  exposed  to  the  sun's  rays  for  about  two  or  three 
hours,  it  becomes  black ;  but  on  rubbing  it  a  little,  the  black 
surface  will  become  changed  into  one  of  silver.  Although 
this  coating  of  silver  is  extremely  thin,  yet  if  the  ivory  be  well 
impregnated  with  the  nitrate  of  silver,  the  solution  will  pen- 
etrate to  a  considerable  depth  ;  and  as  fast  as  the  silver  wears 
off  from  the  surface  of  the  ivory,  the  nitrate  below  being  ex- 
posed to  the  light,  is  converted  into  silver,  and  the  ivory 
retains  its  metallic  appearance. 

191.     Hew  method  of  making  Cast  Steel. 

This  method  has  been  lately  invented  in  France.  It  is  as 
follows : — Take  small  pieces  of  iron,  and  place  them  in  a  cru- 
cible, with  a  mixture  of  chalk  or  lime-stone,  and  the  earth  of 
Hessian  crucibles.  Six  parts  of  chalk  and  six  of  this  earth 
must  be  employed  for  twenty  parts  of  the  iron.  The  matters 
rue  to  be  so  disposed,  that,  after  fusion,  the  iron  must  be 
completely  covered  by  them,  to  prevent  it  from  coming  into 
contact  with  the  external  air.  The  mixture  is  then  to  be 
gradually  heated,  and  at  last  exposed  to  a  heat  capable  of 
melting  iron.  If  the  fire  be  well  kept  up,  an  hour  will  gen- 
erally be  sufficient  to  convert  two  pounds  of  iron  into  ex- 
cellent and  exceedingly  hard  steel,  capable  of  being  forged  ; 
an  advantage  not  possessed  by  steel  made  in  the  usual  manner. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES,  65 


192.     To  petrify  wood,  &c. 

Take  equal  quantities  of  gem  salt,  roch-alnm,  white  vine- 
gar, calx,  and  pebble  powder.  Mix  all  these  ingredients  to* 
gether,  and  there  will  happen  an  ebullition.  If,  after  it  is 
over,  throw  in  this  liquor  any  porous  matter,  and  leave  it 
there  soaking  for  three,  four,  or  five  days,  they  will  postively 
turn  into  petrifactions. 

193.  To  imitate  tortoise  shell  with  horn. 

Take  one  ounce  of  gold  litharge,  and  half  an  ounce  of 
quick  lime.  Grind  altogether,  and  mix  it  to  the  consistence 
of  pap,  with  a  sufficient  quantity  of  chamber-lye.  Put  of 
this  on  the  horn,  and  three  or  four  hours  afterwards  it  will 
be  perfectly  marked. 

1 94.  A  prepartion  for  the  tortoise  shell. 

Make  a  mixture  as  above,  of  quick  lime,  orpine,  pearl 
ashes,  and  aquafortis.  Mixed  well  together,  and  put  your 
horn  or  tortoiseshell  soaking  in  it. 

195.  To  dye  bones  and  mould  them  in  all  manner  af  shapes* 

1 .  Boil  together  twelve  pounds  of  quick  lime,  and  one  of 
calcined  roch-alum,  in  water  to  the  reduction  of  one  third.— 
Bddd  two  more  pounds  of  quick  lime,  and  boil  it  again  till  it 
can  carry  an  egg  without  its  sinking  to  the  bottom.    Let  it 
cool,  then  filter  it. 

2.  Take  twelve  pounds  of  that  liquor  ;  half  a  pound  of 
rasped  Brasil  wood,  and  four  ounces  of  scarlet  flocks  *  boil 
all  about  five  minutes  on  a  slow  fire,  then  decant  the  clearest 
part  of  it,  and  put  it  by.    Put  on  the  faces  of  Brasii  wood 
and  scarlet  about  four  pounds  of  the  first  water  ;  boil  it  the 
same  time  as  the  other,  and  decant  the  clearest  part  of  it  on 
the  other.    Repeat  this  operation,  till  the  new  added  water 
draws  no  more  colour  from  the  faces. 

3.  Now  rasp  any  quantity  of  bones,  and  boil  them  in  clear 
lime  water.     Then  take  them  out,  put  them  in  a  matrass  and 
over  them  some  of  the  tinged  water,  so  as  to  soak  them. 
Place  the  matrass  on  a  mild  sand  bath  and  evaporate  the 
liquor.     Add  some  more  liquor,  and  evaporate  it  again,  con- 
tinuing to  add  and  evaporate  the  tinged  liquor,  till  the  rasped 
bones  are  all  turned  into  a  soft  paste. 

4.  Take  this  paste,  and  mould  if  as  you  like,  in^tin  or  other 
moulds,  to  make  whatever  thing  or  figure  you  want.     Set  it 
in  the  mould  for  a  day  or  two,  till  it  acquired  the  shape  you 


66  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

wish  it ;  to  harden  it,  boil  it  in  a  water  of  alum  and  salt-petre 
first,  afterwards,  in  oil  of  nut.  These  figures  look  incon - 
testibly  to  be  made  of  bones,  without  conceiving  how 
they  can  be  made  such,  out  of  that  matter,  and  one  solid 
piece. 

196.     To  dye  tones  in  black. 

Take  six  ounces  of  litharge,  and  the  same  quantity  of  quick 
lime.  Boil  all  in  common  water,  along  with  the  bones.  Keep 
stirring,  till  the  water  begins  to  boil.  Then  take  it  out,  and 
never  cease  stirring  till  the  water  is  cold  again  ;  by  that  time 
the  bones  will  be  dyed  black. 

197.     To  soften  bones. 

Take  equal  parts  of  Roman  vitriol,  and  common  salt. — 
Distil  the  spirits  out  by  the  root.  If  in  the  water  you  get 
from  the  distillation,  you  put  the  bones  a  soaking,  they  will 
become  as  soft  as  wax. 

198.     To  dye  bones  in  green. 

Pound  well  together  in  a  quart  of  strong  vinegar  three 
ounces  of  verdigrease,  as  much  of  brass  filings,  and  a  hand- 
ful of  rue.  When  done,  put  all  in  a  glass  vessel  along  with 
the  bones  you  want  to  dye,  and  stop  it  well.  Carry  this  into 
a  cold  cellar,  leave  it  for  a  fortnight,  the  bones  will  be  dyed 
green. 

199.     A  salt  for  "hardening  soft  bones. 

Take  equal  quantities  of  ummoriiac,  common  decrepiated 
and  gem  salts,  as  well  as  ofplumeum,  saccarinum,  roch  and  shell 
alum?.  Pulverise  and  mix  all  together,  then  put  it  in  a  glass 
vessel  well  stopped,  which  bury  in  hot  horse  dung,  that  the 
matter  should  melt  into  water.  Congeal  it  on  warm  embers. 
Then  make  it  return  into  a  delequium  again,  by  means  of  the 
horse  dung,  as  before.  When  thus  liquified  for  the  second 
time,  it  is  fit  for  use.  Keep  it  to  harden  and  consolidate  any 
thing,  smear  it  over  with  it. 

200.     To  dye  bones  and  ivory  of  a  fine  red. 

1.  Boil  scarlet  flocks  in  clear  water  assisted  with  pearl  ashes, 
to  draw  the  colour  the  better ;  then  clarify  it  with  roch-aJum, 
and  strain  this  tincture  through  a  piece  of  linnen. 

2.  To  dye  afterwards  any  bones  or  ivory  in  red,  you  must 
rub  them  first  with  aquaforti^  and  them  immediately  with 
this  tincture. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  67 

201.     To  make  a  paste  in  imitation  of  black  marble. 

Dissolve  two  ounces  of  spalt  on  a  gentle  fire,  in  a  glazed 
pipkin.  When  in  perfect  fusion,  add  a  third  part  of  harable, 
ready  melted,  stir  all  together.  When  both  are  well  mixed 
and  united,  take  the  pipkin  off  the  fire,  and  throw  the  con- 
tents, boiling  hot,  into  a  mould,  of  a  fine  polish  in  the  in- 
side. When  cold  and  dry,  take  the  piece  from  off  the  mould, 
and  you  will  find  that  nothing  can  imitate  so  well  black  mar- 
ble as  this  deceptive  composition. 

202.     To  dye  marble^  or  alabaster  >  blue  or  purple. 

1.  Pound  together  in  a  marble  mortar,  parsnips  and  pur- 
ple lilies,  with  a  sufficient  quantity  of  white  wine  vinegar.-— 
Proportion  the  quantity  of  parsnips  and  lilies,  to  each  other, 
according  to  the  hue  you  wish   to  give  the  liquor.     If  you 
cannot  get  one  of  these  two  juices,  make  use  of  that  you  can 
get ;  and  to  every  pound  of  liquor,  mixed  and  prepared,  put 
an  ounce  of  alum. 

2.  In  this  dye  put  your  marble  or  albaster,  and  boil  them, 
supposing  they  are  not  too  inconsiderable  to  go  into  the  ves- 
sel with  the  liquor.    And  if  they  be,  you  must  heat  one 
part  of  it  as  much  as  you  possibly  can,  then  dye  it  with  the 
liquor  boiling  hot,  and  thus  proceed  from  place  to  place,  tirl 
you  have  dyed  it  all  over. 

203.     Of  the  choice  and  composition  of  met  ah. 

Any  metal  whatever  may  be  used  for  the  casting  of  figures, 
though  the  general  composition  runs  as  follows. 

1.  For  the  fine  bronze  figures,  the  alloy  is  half  brass,  half 
copper.    The  Egyptians  who  are  said  to  be  the  inventors  of 
that  art,  used  to  employ  two  thirds  of  brass  against  one  of 
copper. 

2.  Brass  is  made  with  copper  and  calamine.  One  hundred 
weight  of  calamine  renders  one  hundred  per  cent.    Calamine 
is  a  stone  from  which  a  yellow  dye  is  drawn.  It  is  to  be  found 
in  France  and  at  Leige. 

3.  Good  copper  ought  to  be  beaten,  not  molten,  when  in- 
tended for  statues.    You  must  guard  also  against  using  put- 
ty, when  in  alloy  with  lead. 

4.  Copper  may  be  forged  either  hot  or  cold.    But  brass 
breaks  when  cold,  and  suffers  the  hammer  only  when  hot. 

5.  There  is  a  sort  of  metalic  stone  called  zinc,  which 
comes  from  Egypt ;  it  renders  the  copper  of  a  much  finer 
yellow  than  the  calamine ;  but  as  it  is  both  dearer  and  scarcer, 
they  are  not  so  ready  to  use  it. 

6.  As  for  the  composition  for  making  of  bells,  it  is  twenty 


63  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

pounds  weight  of  pewter  for  each  hundred  of  copper.  And 
the  artillery  pieces  take  but  ten  pounds  only  of  pewter  to 
one  hundred  of  the  other.  This  last  composition  is  not  good 
for  the  casting  of  figures,  as  it  is  both  too  hard  and  too 
brittle. 

2  04*.     A  good  shining  ink. 

1.  Put  four  quarts  of  warm  water  in  a  glazed  pipkin.  Add 
eight  ounces  of  turpentine  oil,  and  one  pound  of  gall-nuts 
bruised  in  a  mortar.    Let  the  whole  infuse  thus  for  a  week, 
then  boil  it  gently,  till  with  a  pen  you  may  draw  a  stroke 
yellow  and  shiny  with  it.  Strain  it  through  a  strong  cloth.  Set 
it  on  a  blasting  fire,  and  as  soon  as  it  boils,  add  seven  ounces  of 
green  vitriol  to  it,  keep  stiring  it  with  a  stick  till  it  is  perfectly 
dissolved.    Let  this  rest  for  two  days,  without  disturbing  it. 
There  will  be  a  skim  on  the  top,  which  must  be  thrown  off. 
Decant  next  the  clearest  part  into  another  vessel,  which  you 
set  on  a  gentle  fire,  to  evaporate  about  two  fingers  of  the  li- 
quor, then  let  it  rest  four  or  five  days,  and  it  will  be  fit  for 
use. 

2.  Rain  water,  or  that  in  which  walnuts  have  been  infused 
are  both  very  good  for  making  of  ink. 

s.  With  white  wine,  or  old  beer,  you  may  likewise  make 
very  good  shining  ink. 
4.  A  carp's  gall  is  very  proper  to  mix  among  it. 

205.     To  'write  en  grease,  and  make  the  ink  run  on  it. 

1.  Cut  a  bullock's  gall  open  into  a  pan,  and  put  a  hand- 
ful of  salt  and  about  a  quarter  of  a  pint  of  vinegar  to  it, 
which  you  stir  and  mix  well.    Thus  you  may  keep  the  gall 
for  twelve  months,  without  its  corrupting. 

2.  When  you  are  writing,  and  you  find  your  paper  or 
parchment  greasy,  put  a  drop  of  that  gall  among  your  ink  in 
the  ink-horn,  and  you  will  find  no  more  difficulty  to  make 
your  pen  mark. 


206.     An  ink-  stone,  in  'which  ink  stands  may  be 
and  with  which  you  may  write  without  ink. 

Take  gum  arabic,  fourteen  ounces  ;  lamp  black,  thirteen  ; 
and  burnt  willow  wood  coals,  three.  Pound  the  gum  into  an 
impalpable  powder,  and  dissolve  it  into  a  pint  of  common- 
water.  This  done  knead  your  abovementioned  powders  with 
part  of  this  gum  water,  so  as  to  make  a  paste  or  dough  of 
them,  as  it  were  for  bread.  With  this  dough  form  ink-stands, 
of  the  shape  and  form  you  like  best,  and  in  these  ink-stands, 
while  the  composition  is  Still  soft,  you  may  stamp  a  few 
smalljholes. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  6S 

2.  This  done,  dry  these  stands  in  an  ardent  furnace  for 
four  hours,  or  in  the  shade,  a  safficient  time.    When  dry 
brush  them  over  with   your  aforementioned  gum-water,  till 
they  appear  as  black  and  shiny  as  jet,  and  as  hard  as  marble. 

3.  When  you  want  to  use  them,  put  a  few  drops  of  water 
in  one  of  the  holes,  and  put  a  pen  to  soak  in  it  at  the  same 
time.    If  the  water  be  but  just  put  in,  the  ink  will  not  be 
quite  so  black  ;  but  if  it  have  remained  a  little  while,  it  will 
be  as  black  as  the  blackest  of  any  ink. 

207.     To  'write  with  common  clear  water. 

Take  gall  nut  powder,  and  vitriol  calcined  in  the  sun  to 
whiteness,  of  each  four  ounces,  and  sandarak,  one  and  a  half. 
All  being  pulverised  and  mixed,  rub  your  paper  with  that 
powder ;  then  steeping  your  pen  in  any  common  water,  and 
writing  with  it>  it  will  appear  black  like  any  other  ink. 

208.     A  good  inky  both  for  drawing  and  writing. 

1.  Bruise  with  a  hammer  one  pound  of  gall-nuts,  and  put 
it  to  infuse  for  a  fortnight  in  the  sun,  in  two  quarts  of  clear 
water,  stirring  it  now  and  then.    Strain  this  infusion  through 
a  sieve  or  cloth  in  a  glazed  pipkin. 

2.  In  another  vessel,  put  two  ounces  of  gum-arabic  ;  and 
half  of  the  above  infusion.    In  the  other  half  which  remains 
to  dissolve  two  ounces  and  a  half  of  German  green  vitriol, 
and  let  it  infuse,  for  four-and-twenty  hours.  Join  afterwards, 
both  infusions  together ;  and  a  week  afterwards  or  there- 
bouts,  the  ink  will  be  very  good,  and  fit  for  use. 

209.  To  make  very  good  ink  without  gall-nuts  ;  which 
will  be  equally  good  to  wash  drawings  and  plans >  and 
strike  very  neat  lines  with  the  pen. 

In  half  a  pound  of  honey  put  one  yolk  of  an  egg,  and 
beat  it  a  good  while  with  a  flat  stick.  Then  asperse  the  mat- 
ter over  with  three  drachms  of  gum-irabic  in  subtile  powder. 
Let  this  stay  about  three  days,  during  which,  beat  it  often 
with  a  stick  of  walirat-tree  wood. 

2.  Next  to  this,  put  to  it  such  a  quantity  of  lamp-black  as 
will  make  it  in  consistence  of  a  dough,  which  you  make  in 
cakes,  and  dry  it  in  the  air,  to  render  it  portable. 

3.  When  you  want  to  use  it,  dilute  it  with  water  or  with 
a  lye  made  either  of  vine  wood  ashes,  or  walnut-tree,  or  oak, 
or  even  peach  stones. 

210.     An  invisible  ink. 
i.  Dissolve  one  ounce  of  ammoniac  salt  in  a  glass  tumbler 


TO  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

of  water,  and  write,     When  you  wish  to  make  the  writing 
appear,  hold  the  paper  to  the  fire,  and  it  will  become  black. 
2.  The  same  may  be  done  with  the  juice  of  an  onion. 

211.     To  make  good  India  imk. 

Burn  some  lamp-black  in  a  crucible  till  the  fume  which 
arises  in  doing  it,  has  entirely  subsided  ;  grind  it  next  on 
porphyry,  or  marble,  with  a  pretty  strong  water  of  gum- 
tragacanth.  Add  an  equal  quantity  of  indigo  burnt,  and 
grinded  in  the  same  manner.  Then  mix  them  both  together 
on  the  stone,  and  grind  them  for  two  hours.  Gather  up  the 
composition,  in  a  flat  square  of  the  height  and  thickness  you 
are  willing  to  give  to  your  sticks.  Cut  these  with  a  knife  to 
your  intended  size,  and  put  them,  if  you  chuse,  into  an  iron 
mould  ;  and  lest  the  paste  should  stick  to  them,  rub  the  in- 
side of  the  mould  with  lamp  or  ivory  black,  or  with  peach 
stone  dust,  which  you  burn  in  a  crucible  stifled  with  a  brick 
to  stop  it  well* 

212.     Re  Jink. 

Dissolve  half  an  ounce  of  gum-arabic  in  three  ounces  of 
rose  water.  Then  with  this  water,  dilute  cinnabar,  vermilion, 
or  minium. 

Ink  of  any  colour  may  be  made  in  the  same  manner,  by- 
substituting  only  a  proper  colouring  ingredient  to  the  afore- 
mentioned cinnabar,  &c. 

213.     A  green  ink. 

Grind  together  verdigrease,  saffron,  rue  juice,  then  dilute 
this  paste  in  the  abovementioned  gum  rose  water. 


To  make  an  ink  which  appears  and  disappears 
alternately. 

Write  with  an  infusion  of  gall  nuts  filtered  through  brown 
paper,  and  the  writing  will  not  be  visible.  When  you  want 
to  make  it  appear,  steep  a  little  sponge,  or  bit  of  cotton,  in- 
to an  infusion  of  vitriol,  and  pass  it  over  the  written  place  of 
the  paper  ;  the  writing  will  immediately  appear.  To  rub  it 
off,  and  make  the  paper  look  all  white  again,  do  the  same 
with  spirit  of  vitriol,  and  all  the  writing  will  be  gone.  To 
make  it  visible  again,  rub  the  paper  over  with  oil  of  tartar  ; 

and  thus  continue  for  ever. 

\ 

2  1  5.     The  invisible  method  of  conveying  secrets. 
nfuse  for  twenty-four  hours  >  half  an  ounce  of  gold  liih- 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRACES.  71 

an-ge  in  half  a  pint  of  distilled  white  wine  vinegar,  and  shake 
the  bottle  often  during  the  first  twelve  hours  of  the  infusion. 
When  all  is  well  settled,  decant  the  clear  part  into  another 
phial,  which  you  must  stop  carefully,  and  throw  the  fasces 
away. 

If  you  have  any  secret  to  communicate  to  a  fr^nd,  write 
it  with  this  liquor,  and  it  will  be  no  more  visible  than  if  you 
wrote  it  with  clear  pump  water. 

216.     An  ink  which  will  gs  off  in  six  days. 

Write  with  willow-wood  cinders,  pulterised  and  diluted 
with  common  water. 

217.     Another  which  you  may  rvb  off  when  you  please. 

Dilute  gunpowder  in  common  water,  and  write  with  it  on 
a  piece  of  parchment ;  then  when  you  mant  to  efface  it,  take 
your  handkerchief,  and  rub  it  off. 

218.    Powder  ink. 

Take  equal  parts  of  black  rosin,  burnt  peach,  or  apricot 
stones,  vitriol  and  gall  nuts,  and  two  of  gum-arabic.  Put  the 
whole  in  powder,  or  in  a  cake,  as  you  like  best. 

219.     A  gold  colon  r  iriky  without  gold. 

Put  half  a  drachm  of  saffron,  one  of  auripigment,  and  one 
a  fortnight  in  hot  horse  dung.  At  the  end  of  that  term,  add 
she-goats,  5  or  6  or  jack  gall,  in  a  glass  bottle ;  and  set  for 
a  gill  of  gum-water  ;  and  place  it  again  for  the  same  length 
of  time  in  horse  dung.  Then  it  is  fit  for  use. 

220.     To  write  in  silver  without  silver. 

Mix  so  well  one  ounce  of  the  finest  pewter  and  two  of 
quicksilver  together,  that  both  become  quite  fluid.  Then 
grind  it  on  porphyry  with  gum-water,  and  write  with  it.  All 
i  lie  writing  will  look  then  as  if  done  with  silver. 

221.     A  blue  ink. 

Dilute  half  a  pound  of  indigo  with  some  flake  white  and 
sugar  in  a  sufficient  quantity  of  gum-water. 

The  same  may  be  done  with  ultramarine,  and  gum-water. 

222.     A  yellow  ink. 

Dilute  in  gum-water  some  saffron,  or  French  berries,  or 
gamboge,  and  you  will  have  a  yellow  ink.  The  same  may 


72  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

be  done  with  any  other  colouring  ingredient,  to  obtain  an 
ink  of  the  colour  one  likes  to  have. 

223.     A  green  inky  which  may  keep  two  years. 

Put  a  pint  of  water  on  the  fire  in  a  varnished  pipkin  ;  and 
when  it  is  ready  to  boil,  throw  in  two  ounces  of  verdigrease 
pounded,  and  boil  it  gently  on  a  slow  fire  for  the  space  of 
half  an  hour,  stirring  it  often  during  that  time  with  a  wooden 
spatula.  Then  add  one  ounce  of  white  tartar,  well  pulveris- 
ed, and  boil  it  one  quarter  of  an  hour.  Strain  two  or  three 
times  through  a  cloth,  then  set  it  before  the  fire  to  evaporate 
part  of  it,  in  order  to  make  it  more  shiny.  But  observe  that 
the  more  it  boils,  the  more  it  loses  of  its  green  colour,  and 
approaches  to  the  blue. 

224«.  A  way  of  writing  which  will  not  be  visible^ 
unless  you  hold  the  paper  in  the  suny  or  to  the  light  of 
a  candle. 

Take  flake  white,  or  any  other  whitening,  and  dilute  it  in 
a  water  impregnated  with  gum-adragant.  If  you  write  with 
this  liquor,  the  writing  will  not  be  perceivable,  unless  you 
apply  the  paper  to  the  sun,  or  the  light  of  a  candle.  The 
reason  why  it  is  so,  is,  that  the  rays  of  light  wi'l  not  find  the 
same  facility  to  pass  through  the  letters  formed  with  this  li- 
quor, as  through  the  other  parts  of  the  paper. 

225.     A  secret  to  revive  old  writings  y  which  are  almost 
defaced. 

Boil  gall-nuts  into  wine ;  then  steeping  a  sponge  into 
that  liquor,  and  passing  it  on  the  lines  of  the  old  writing,  all 
the  letters  which  were  almost  undecypherable  will  appear  as 
fresh  as  newly  done. 

226.     A  common  ink. 

1.  Bruise  six  ounces  of  gall-nuts  and  as  much  gum-arabic, 
and  nine  of  green  vitriol*  Put  them  afterwards  in  three  quarts, 
at  least,  of  river,  spring,  or  rain  water.    Stir  the  composition 
three  or  four  times  a  day.    And  after  seven  days  infusion, 
strain  all  through  a  cloth,  your  ink  is  made. 

2.  This  ground,  as  well  as  that  above,  will  admit  of  fresh 
water  being  put  to  it,  with  an  addition  of  vitriol  also. 

227.     75?  whiten  and  silver  Copper  Medals. 

l.  Take  filings  from  Cornwall  pewter,  and  make  a  bed  of 
them  at  the  bottom  of  a  pipkin.  On  this  bed  lay  one  of 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  73 

your  medals,  taking  care,  however,  they  should  not  touch 
each  other.  Make  another  bed  of  filings  over  these  medals, 
and  one  of  medals  again  on  these  filings.  Continue  this  al- 
ternate stratification  of  medals  and  filings,  till  you  have  laid 
all  the  medals  you  wanted  to  whiten, 

2.  When  this  is  done,  fill  up  your  pan  with  water,  and  put 
on  it  a  powder  composed  of  roch-alum  and  tartar  from  Mont- 
pellicr,  well  grinded  and  mixed  together.  Boil  the  whole  till 
the  whitening  of  the  medals  is  complete. 

N.  B.  They  must  have  previously  been  cleansed  with  soft 
sand, or  strong  lye;  to  purge  them  from  any  grease. 

228.     A  water  to  gild  iron. 

In  three  pounds  of  river-water,  boil  roch-alum,  one  ounce, 
Roman  vitriol,  as  much,  verdigrease,  half  an  ounce,  gem  salt, 
three,  and  orpine,  one.  Then  add  tartar  half  an  ounce,  and 
the  same  quantity  of  common  salt.  Boil  it  again  with  this 
addition.  Now  heat  your  iron,  and  when  warm,  rub  it 
over  with  this  stuff  quite  hot,  then  dry  it  by  the  fire,  and 
burnish. 

229.     To  whiten  exteriorly  copper  statues. 

Take  silver  crystals,  ammoniac,  gem,  common  and  alkali 
Salts,  of  each  of  all  these  two  drachm:;.  Make  all  into  a 
pa^te  with  common  water.  Lay  your  figures  over  with  it, 
and  set  them  on  red-hot  charcoals  till  they  smoak  no  more. 

230.     To  gild  silver  in  'water  gilding ,  without  the  assist- 
ance oj-  mercury. 

1.  Take  first  the  finest  gold,  forge  it  weakish,  then  cut  it 
in  bits  and  neal  it,  on  an  iron  plate,  o;  in  a  crucible. 

2.  Have  next  a  glass  matrass,  put  your  gold  in,  and  to  every 
drachm  of  gold,  put  half  a  pound  of  ammoniac  *alt,  and 
two  ounces  of  good  aquafortis.    Cover  the  matrass  with  a. 
sheet  of  paper,  turned  conicaily  by  one  of  its  corners  upon 
one  of  the  long  sides,  so  as  to  form  a  funnel  with  the  small- 
est, and  not  quite  close,  but  terminated  in  a  smal:  orifice,  to 
give  a  free  passage  to  the  fumes  of  the  aquafortis.     Set  this 
matrass  on  a  very  slow  fire,  that  the  gold  may  have  time  to 
dissolve  gently  and  gradually,  and  -shake  of; en  the  matr:i:~,  to 
help  the  dissolution.    Be  very  careful  not  to  make  the  fire 
too  strong ;  for  the  gold  would  infallibly  sublime,  and  watte 
itself  all  into  vapours. 

3.  When  the  gold  is  entirely  dissolved,  pour  this  liquor  in- 
to a  glass,  or  china  bowl ;  wet  some  old  coaree  linen  rags  on 
them,  which  set  to  drain  on  small  sticks  on  another  bowl,  do- 
ll 


•?4  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

ing  the  same  with  what  drains  from  them  till  you  have  used 
all  your  liquor;  then  dry  them  before  a  gentle  fire. 

4.  When  dry,  lay  them  on  a  marble  stone,  and  eet  them  on 
fire.  And  as  soon  as  they  are  consumed,  grind  them  Into  a 
fine  powder,  which  put  afterwards  into  a  crucible  on  a  little 
fire.  When  this  powder  is  lighted  like  sparkles  of  fire,  put 
it  on  the  marble  again,  and  stir  it  with  an  iron  rod  till  you 
see  no  more  fire.  Grind  it  then  again  as  before,  as  much  as 
you  possibly  can,  and  it  is  fit  for  gilding  any  sort  of  silver 
•work  you  please. 

231.     A  water  which  gilds  copper  and  bronze.  A  Secret 
very  useful  for  watch  and  pin-makers. 

Dissolve  equal  parts  of  green  vitriol  and  ammoniac  salt  in 
good  double  distilled  vinegar;  then  vaporate  the  vinegar,  and 
put  it  in  the  retort  to  distil.  Jf  in  the  product  of  the  distil- 
lation  you  steep  your  metal  after  being  polished  and  made 
hot,  it  will  come  out  perfectly  well  gilt. 

5232.     To  gild  steel  or  iron,  after  being  well  polished. 

Take  seven  ounces  of  orpine,:  terra  merita,  one  and  a  half; 
succotrine  aloes,  four  and  a  half;  gamboge,  three  and  a  half. 
Put  all  into  powder,  and  put  it  in  a  retort,  with  FO  much -of 
pickle  water  as  will  cover  these  powders  by  two  fingers.  Stir 
well,  and  mix  all  together,  let  it  infuse  four  and  twenty  hours 
and  distil.  With  the  liquor  which  comes  from  the  distilla- 
tion, keep  by  for  use,  rub  the  steel,  iron,  or  copper,  and  set 
it  to  dry  in  the  shade. 

233.  A  composition  to  lay  on  lead,  tin,  or  any  other  met- 
al, in  order  to  holdfast  the, ready  gilt  leaves  of  pewter 
which  are  applied  on  it ;  useful  for  gilding  on  high 
steeples,  domes,  £^V. 

1.  Melt  together,  on  a  slow  fire,  black  pitch,  two  pounds; 
oil  of  turpentine,  four  ounces  ;  and  a  little  roi>in.  When  the 
whole  is  dissolved  and  mixed  well  into  a  kind  of  varnish,  lay 
a  coat  of  it  on  your  work. 

2.  Upon  steeples,  the  common  method  of  gilding  cannot, 
on  account  of  the  wind,  be  practised  ;  have  only  the  exact 
measures  and  dimensions  of  the  place  intended  to  be  gilt, 
then,  at  homeland  at  leisure,  cut  to  them  some  fine  leaves  of 
pewter,  and  gild  them  as  usual.     When  done,  you  have  no 
more  to -do  but  to  carry  up   these  pewter  leaves,  rolled  in  a 
basket,  and  having  burnished  the  place  on  which  they  are  to 
t>e  applied  with  the  above  composition,  lay  the  gilt  pewttr 
Jeaves  on  it,  and  they  will  stand  fast  enough. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  75 

23k      To  clean  and  whiten  silv&r. 

1.  Rasp  four  ounces  of  dry  white  soap  in  a  dish.  Pour  a 
pint  of  warm  water  on  it.  In  another  dish  put  a  pennyworth 
of  wine  lye  dried  in  cakes',  and  the  same  quantity  of  the  same 
water.  In  a  third  dish  put  also  another  pennyworth  of  pearl 
ashes,  with  another  similar  quantity,  of  the  same  water. 
t  2.  Then,  with  a  hair  brush  steeped  first  in  the  wine  lye, 
then  in  the  pearl  ashrand  lastly  in  the  soap  liquors,  rub  your 
silver  plate,  and  wash  it  afterwards  with  warm  water,  and 
wipe  it  with  a  dty  cloth  kept  on  a  horse  before  the  tire  for 
that  purpose. 

235.     The  preparation  of  gold  in  shell. 

Take  ammoniac  salt,  and  gold  leaves,  equal  quantities.-* 
Bruise  this  in  a  mortar  for  two  or  three  hours  ;  and  towards 
the  end  add  a  discretionable  quantity  of  honey. 

236.     To  bronze  in  gold  colour. 

Rub  the  figure  first  with  aquafortis^  in  order  to  cleanse  and 
ungrease  it  well.  Then  grind,  on  porphyry,  into  a  subtile 
powder,  and  mix  with  lintseed  oil,  equal  quantities  of  terra 
inertia  and  gold  litharge.  With  this  composition  paint  the 
figure  over. 

237.     Varnish  to  be  laid  on  gilding  and  silvering. 

Grind  verdigrease,  on  marble,  with  common  water,  in 
which  you  have  infused  saffron  for  eight  hours. 

238.     A  water  1o  gild  Iron  'with. 

1.  Put  in  a  glass  bottle,  with  a  pint  of  river  water,  one 
ounce  of  white  copperas,  and  as  much  of  white  alum  ;  two 
drachms  of  verdigrease,  and  the  same  quantity  of  common 
salt.    Boil  all  together  to  the  reduction  of  one  half.     Then 
stop  the  bottle  well,  for  fear  the  contents  should  lose  their 
strength. 

2.  To  gild  the  iron  with  it,  make  it  red  hot  in  the  fire,  and 
plunge  it  in  this  liquor. 

239.     How  to  get  the  gold  or  silver  cut  of  gilt  plates, 

1.  Mix  together  one  ounce  of  aquafortis**  and  one  of  spring 
water,  with  half  an  ounce  of  common,  and  one  drachm  of 
ammoniac  salts.  Put  all  on  the  fire,  and  boil  it ;  then  put  in 
the  plate  to  soak  from  which  YOU  want  to  get  the  gold  6V 
silver  out.  A  little  while  after?  take  your  plate  out,  and  scrape 
it  over  the  liquors 


;o  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

2.  The  gold  will  remain  suspended  in  this  regal-water ; 
ind  to  make  a  separation  of  them,  pour  in  it  double  the 
quantity  of  common  water;  or  again,  throw  a  halfpenny  in 
it,  and  boil  it,  and  all  the  gold  will  fix  itself  to  it. 

240.     To  gild  paper  on  tie  edge. 

1.  Beat  the  white  of  an  egg  in  three  times  its  quantity  of 
common  water,,and  beat  it  till  it  is  all  come  into  a  froth. — 
Let  it  settle  into  water  again,  and  lay  a  coat  of  it  on  the  edge 
of  your  paper. 

2.  Next  lay  another  of  bol  armenian  and  ammoniac  salt, 
grinded  with  soap-suds.     Then  put  the  gold,  and  let  it  dry, 
before  burnishing  it. 

24*1.     To  gild  'without  gold. 

Open  a  hen's  egg  by  one  end,  and  get  all  out  from  the  in- 
side. Refill  it  again  with  chalidonia's  juice  and  mercury ; 
then  stop  it  well  with  mastich,  and  put  it  under  a  hen  which 
just  begins  to  set.  When  the  time  of  hatching  is  come,  the 
composition  will  be  done,  and  fit  for  gilding, 

242.     To  gild  en  calf  and  sheepskin. 

Wet  the  leather  with  whites  of  eggs.  When  dry,  rub  it 
with  your  hand,  and  a  little  olive  oil  j  then  put  the  gold  leaf, 
and  apply  the  hot  iron  on  it.  Whatever  the  hot  iron  shall 
not  have  touched  will  go  off  by  brushing. 

243.     Gold  and  silver  in  shell. 

1.  Take  saltpetre,  gum  arabic,  and  gold  leaves,  wash  them 
all  together  in  common  water.    The  gold  will  sink  to  the 
bottom,  whence  pouring  the  water  off  you  may  then  put  in 
the  shell. 

2.  The  silver  is  worked  in  the  same  manner,  except  the 
saltpetre,  instead  of  which  you  put  white  salt, 

244.     To  dye  any  metal)  or  stone,  gold  colour y  without  gold. 

Grind  together  in  a  subtile  powder  ammoniac  salt,  white 
vitriol,  saltpetre,  and  verdigrease.  Cover  the  metal,  or  stone 
you  want  to  dye,  all  over  with  this  powder.  Set  it  thus  cov- 
ered on  the  fire,  and  let  it  be  there  a  full  hour  ;  then  taking  it 
wit,  plunge  it  in  chamber-lye» 

245.     To  iv hi 'i en  copper. 

Take  one  ounce  of  zinc?  one  drachm  and  a  third  part  of 
it  of  sublimed  mercury.  Grind  all  into  a  powder,  then  rubi 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  77 

2 16.     To  whiten  iron  like  silver. 

Mix  ammoniac  salt  powder,  and  quick  lime,  in  cold  water. 
Then  make  your  iron  red  hot  several  times,  and  each  time, 
plunge  it  in  that  dissolution.  It  will  turn  as  white  as  silver. 

The  Art  of  DYING  WOODS,  BONES,  &c. 

2  4?  7.     The  composition  for  red. 

Chop  Brasil  wood,  very  fine,  and  boil  it  in  common  water, 
till  it  has  acquired  an  agreeable  colour,  then  strain  it  through 
a  cloth. 

2.  Give  your  wood  first  a  coat  of  yellow,  made  of  saffron, 
diluted  in  water.     Then    the  wood  being  thus  previously 
tinged  with  a  pale  yellow,  and  dried,  give  afterwards  several 
coats  of  the  Brazil  wood  water,  till  the  hue  pleases  you. 

3.  When  the  last  coat  is  dry,  burnish  it  with  the  burnisher, 
and  by  another  coat  of  drying  varnish  with  the  palm  of 
your  hand,  and  you  will  have  a  red  oranged  very  agreeable. 

4.  If  you  want  a  deeper  red,  or  rather  a  darker,  boil  the 
JBrasii  wood  in  water  impregnated  with  a  dissolution  of  alum, 
or  quick  lime. 

2 1-8.     To  dye  'wood  in  a  purplish  colour. 

Soak  Dutch  turn£ol  in  water;  add  a  tincture  of-Brasil 
wood  made  in  lime  water ;  and  you  will  obtain  a  purple, 
with  which  you  rnay  dye  your  wood,  and  then  burnish  and 
varnish  as  usual. 

2*9.     A  blue  purple. 

Take  that  sort  of  German  turnsol  which  painters  use  with 
size.  Dissolve  it  in  water  and  strain  it  through  a  linen  cloth. 
Give  a  coat  of  this  dye  to  the  wood ;  and  if  the  hue  be  too 
strong,  give  it  another  of  a  paler  dye,  by  adding  clear  water 
to  a  part  of  the  other.  When  dry,  burnish  it  as  usual* 

250.     A  blue  for  wood. 

Slack  lime  in  water,  and  decant  it  out  of  the  ground.  In 
three  pints  of  this  water  dissolve  four  ounces  of  turnsol, 
and  boii  it  one  hour.  Then  give  several  coats  of  it  to -your 
wood. 

251.     A  green* 

Grind  Spanish  verdigrease  into  a  subtile  powder  with 
strong  vinegar.  Add  and  mix  well  with  this;  two  ounces  of 

H   2 


73  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

green  vitriol.  Boil  all  of  it  a  quarter  of  an  hour  in  two  quarts 
of  water,  and  put  your  wood  soaking  till  the  colour  be  to 
your  liking.  For  the  rest  proceed  as  above. 

252.     4  yellow. 

Dissolve  turnsol  in  two  quarts  of  water.  Then  grind  some 
indigo  on  marble  with  that  water,  and  set  it  in  a  vessel  on  the 
fire  with  weak  size  to  dilute  it.  When  done,  give  a  coat  of 
this  dye  to  your  wood  with  a  brush,  and  when  dry,  polish  it 
\viih  ;hc  burnisher. 

2  5  &     Another  finer  yellow. 

Four  ounces  of  French  berries,  boiled  for  about  a  quarter 
of  an  hour  in  a  quart  of  water,  with  about  the  bulk  of  a  fil- 
bert of  roch-alum.  Then  soak  the  wood  in  it. 

254.     To  dye  wood  a  fine  polished  'white. 

Take  the  finest  English  white  chalk,  and  grind  it  in  subtile 
powder  on  marble,  then  let  it  dry,  and  set  it  in  a  pipkin  on 
the  fire  with  a  weak  sized  water,  having  great  care  not  to  let 
it  turn  brown.  When  it  is  tolerably  hot,  give  first  a  coat  of 
size  to  your  wood,  and  let  it  dry  :  then  give  one  or  two  coats 
of  the  aforesaid  white  over  it.  These  being  dry  also,  polish 
with  the  rushes,  and  burnish  with  the  burnisher. 

25 &*     To  dye  in  polished  black. 

Grind  lamp  black  on  marble  with  gum  water.  Put  it  next 
in  a  pipkin ,  and  give  a  coat  of  this,  with  a  brush  to  your 
\vcod ;  then  polish  it  when  dry. 

256.     To  imitate  ebony. 

Infuse  gall-nuts  in  vinegar,  wherein  you  have  soaked  rusty 
nails ;  then  rub  your  wood  with  this,  let  it  dry,  polish  and 
burnish. 

257.     A  fne  Hack  easily  made. 

Take  good  ink,  put  it  in  a  stone  pan,  new  and  well  nealed, 
then  set  it  in  the  sun  to  exsiccate  it  into  a  cake.  When  dry, 
take  and  scrape  it  out  from  the  pan  with  a  knife,  and  grind  it 
into  an  impalpable  powder  on  marble.  This  powder  diluted 
with  varnish,  will  produce  a  fine  black. 

258.     To  dye  wood  silver  fashion. 
Pound  tip  glass,  in  a  mortar,  and  reduce  it  into  powder,— 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  79 

Add  water  to  it  by  degrees,  till  it  come  into  a  liquid  like  liq- 
uor for  painting  Put  it  in  a  clean  pipkin,  with  size,  and  set 
it  on  the  fire  to  warm.  Brush  your  wood  with  this  liquor, 
and  when  it  is  dry,  burnish  it. 

259.     To  dye  in  gold,  silver,  or  copper. 

Pound  very  fine,  in  a  mortar,  some  roch-chrystal  with  clear 
water,  set  it  to  warm  in  a  new  pipkin  with  a  little  size,  and 
give  a  coat  of  it  on  your  wood  with  a  brush.  When  dry, 
rub  a  piece  of  gold,  silver,  or  copper,  on  the  wood  thus  pre- 
pared, and  it  will  assume  the  colour  of  such  of  these  metals 
as  you  rub  it  with.  After  this  is  done,  burnish  it  as  usual. 

260.  To  give  nut}  or  pear  tree,  what  undulation  you  like. 

Slack  some  quick  lime  in  chamber  lye.  Then  with  a  brush 
dipped  in  it  form  your  undulation  on  the  wood  according  to 
your  fancy.  And  when  dry,  rub  it  well  with  a  rind  of  pork. 

261.     To  imitate  the  root  of  nut-tree. 

Give  seven  or  eight  coats  of  size  to  your  wood,  till  it  re. 
mains  shiny.  Then  before  your  size  is  quite  dry,  strike  here 
and  there  a  confused  quantity  of  spots  with  bistre  grinded 
with  common  water.  When  dry,  varnish  it  with  the  Chinese 
varnish. 

262.     To  give  a  fine  colour  to  the  cherry-tree  wood. 

Take  one  ounce  of  orchanetta  ;  cut  it  in  two  or  three  bit?, 
and  put  it  to  soak  for  forty-eight  hours  in  three  ounces  of 
good  oil  of  olive/  Then  with  this  oil  anoint  your  cherry- 
tree  wood  after  it  is  worked  and  shaped  as  you  intend  it ;  it 
•will  give  a  fine  lustre. 

263.     To  marble  wood. 

1.  Give  it  a  coat  of  black,  diluted  in  varnish.    Repeat  it 
one,  two,  three  or  as  maay  times  as  you  think  proper ;  then 
polish  it  as  usual. 

2.  Dilute  some  white  varnish  made  with  white  gum,  or 
shell-lac,  and  white  sandarac.    Lay  this  white  on  the  black 
ground,  tracing  with  it  what  oddities  you  like.    When  dry, 
give  a  light  rub  with  rushes,  then  wipe  it,  and  give  a  last  coat 
of  fine  transparent  white  varnish,  in   order  to  preserve  the 
brightness.    Let  this  dry  at  leisure,  then  polish  it. 

264.     To  imitate  white  marble. 
Break  and  calcine  the  finest  white  marble  you  can  fbd  j 


so  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

grind  it  as  fine  as  you  can,  and  dilute  it  With  size.  Lay  two 
coats  of  this  on  your  wood,  which,  when  dry,  polish  and 
varnish  as  before  directed. 

265.     To  imitate  black  marble. 

Burn  fome  lamp  black  in  a  shovel,  red  hot,  then  grind 
it  with  brandy.  For  the  bigness  of  a  egg  of  black,  put  the 
size  of  a  pea  of  lead  in  drops,  as  much  of  tallow,  and  the 
same  quantity  of  soap.  Grind  and  mix  the  e  together,  then 
dilute  it  with  a  very  weak  size  water.  Give  four  coats  of 
thi-,  and  when  dry,  polish  as  usual. 

266.      To  take  the  impression  of  any  seal. 

1.  Take  half  a  pound  of  mercury;  the  same  quantity  o 
chrystalline  vitriol ;  as  much  verdigrease.  Pulverise  well  these 
two  last  ingredient-,  and  put  them  along  with  the  first  in  a 
new  iron  pan,  with  smith's  forge  water.     Stir  all  well  with  a 
wooden  spatula,  till  the  mercury  is   perfectly  incorporated 
with  the  powder?.     Then  wash  that  paste  with  cold  water, 
and  change  it  till  it  remains  quite  clear  as  when  you  put  it  in. 
Put  the  lump  in  the  air,  it  will  harden. 

2.  When  you  want  to  take*  the  impression  of  a  seal  with  it, 
place  it  over  the  fire  on  an  iron  plate.     When  there  appears 
on  it  some  drops  like  pearls,  then  it  is  hot  enough  ;  take  it 
off  and  knead  it  in  your  hands  with  your  finger?,  it  will  be- 
come pliable  like  wax  ;  srnoothen  one  side  of  it,  and  apply 
it  on  the  seal,  pressing  it  to  make  it  take  the  impression. — 
When  done,  lift  it  up,  and  set  it  in  the  air,  where  it  will  come 
again  as  hard  as  metal,  and  will  serve  you  to  seal  the  same 
letter  as  the  original  seal,  without  probability  of  discovering 
it,  should  even  the  real  one  be  laid  on  it* 

267.     To  get  Birds  with  ivhite  feathers. 

Make  a  mixture  of  semper  •vwum-majus's  juice,  and  olive 
oil,  and  rub  with  it  the  eggs  on  which  the  hen  is  setting.  All 
the  birds  which  shall  come  from  those  eggs  will  be  white  feath- 
ered, 

268.     To  soften  Ivory. 

In  three  ounces  of  spirit  of  nitre,  and  fifteen  of  white  wine, 
or  even  mere  sprin-g  water,  mixed  together,  put  your  ivory  a 
soaking.  And  in  three  or  four  days,  it  will  be  so  soft  as  to 
obey  under  the  fingers. 

269.     To  dye  Ivory  thus  softened. 

p~  in  snrrit  r\f  winp>     cnr>Vi  fr»lr»nr  vnn  wr 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  81 

your  ivory  with.  And  when  the  spirit  of  wine  shall  be  suffici- 
ently tinged  with  the  colour  you  have  put  in,  plunge  your 
ivory  in  it,  and  leave  it  there  till  it  is  sufficiently  penetrated 
with  it,  and  dyed  inwardly.  Then  give  that  ivory  what  form 
you  will. 

2.  To  harden  it  afterwards,  wrap  it  in  a  sheet  of  white  paper, 
and  cover  it  with  decrepitated  common  salt,  and  the  driest  you 
can  make  it  ;  in  which  situation  leave  it  twenty-four  hours. 

270.    To  whiten  Ivory  ,  which  has  been  spoiled. 

Take  roch  alum,  dissolve  it  in  water,  in  a  sufficient  quantity, 
to  render  the  water  all  milky.  Boil  this  liquor,  and  soak  your 
ivory  in  it  for  one  hour,  then  rub  it  with  a  hair  brush.  When 
done,  wrap  it  in  a  wet  piece  of  linen  to  dry  it  leisurely  and 
gradually,  otherwise  it  would  certainly  split. 


23?  whiten  Green  Ivory  ;  and  whiten  again  that 
which  has  turned  of  a  Brown  Yellow. 

1.  Slack  some  lime  in  water,  put  your  ivory  in  that  water, 
after  decanted  from  the  ground,  and  boil  it  till  it  looks  white. 

2.  To  polish,  set  it  on  the  turner's  wheel,  and  after  having 
worked  it,  take  rushes  and  pumice-stone  subtile  powder  with 
water,  rub  it  till  it  looks  perfectly  smooth.  Next  to  that,  heat 
at,  by  turning  it  against  a  piece  of  linen,  or  sheepskin  leather, 
and  when  hot,  rub  it  over  with  a  little  whitening  diluted  in 
oil  of  olive,  continuing  turning  as  before  ;  then  with  a  little 
dry  whitening,  and  apiece  of  soft  white  rag.    When  this  is 
performed  the  ivory  will  look  as  white  as  snow. 

272.     The  preparation  of  the  ink  which  serves  to  write 
inscriptions,  epitaphs,  £sV.  on  stones,  marbles,  &c. 

This  ink  is  made  with  nothing  else  but  a  mixture  of  lint- 
sced  oil  black,  and  black  pitch  dissolved  over  a  small  fire.-— 
They  call  this  also  stucco. 

273.     An  ink  which  may  be  made  instantly. 

Take  gum-arabic,  and  vitriol,  of  each  one  ounce  :  bruised 
gall-nuts  one  and  a  half.  Put  all  in  ten  ounces  of  white  wine, 
or  vinegar  ;  and,  no  longer  than  one  hour  after,  you  ma^  use 
it. 

274.     A  portable  ink,  without  either  gall-nut  or  vitriol. 

1.  Take  one  pound  of  honey,  and  two  yolks  of  raw  eggs. 
Dilute  and  mix  them  all  well  with  the  honey.  Add  three 
drachms  of  gum»arabk  in  subtile  powder.  Stir  well  the 


82  SECRETS  INT  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

whole  together  during  three  day?,  and  several  times  a  day, 
with  a  fig-tree  stick  flattened  at  one  of  the  ends.  Then,  to 
that  first  composition  add  again  as  much  of  that  sort  of  lamp- 
black which  is  used  in  printers  ink,  as  may  be  requ'rH  r.o 
thicken  the  whole  into  a  lump,  which  you  let  dry,  and  keep 
in  that  state. 

2.  "When  you  want  to  use  it,  take  a  bit  of  it  and  dilute 
it  in  any  common  water,  or  lye,  and  it  will  write  like  any 
other  ink. 

275.     Another  portable  ink,  in  powder. 

This  i-3  made  with  equal  quantities  of  gall-nuts  and  vitriol; 
a  little  gum-arabic,  and  still  less  of  sandarak  of  the  antients. 
You  pound  ©r  grind  each  drug  well,  and  mix  the  powders 
together,  which  are  to  be  very  fine.  Lay  some  of  this  com- 
pound powder  on  your  paper,  and  spread  it  well  with  your 
fingers.  Then  dipping  your  pen  into  clear  water,  you  may 
write  on  this  prepared  paper,  and  it  will  appear  as  black  as 
any  other  ink, 

276.     Another  portable  powder  y  to  make  ink  instantly. 

Take  and  reduce  into  a  subtile  powder  ten  ounces  of  gall- 
nuts,  three  of  Roman  vitriol,  otherwise  green  copperas ;  vrith 
two  ounces  of  roch-alum  and  as  much  of  gum-arabic.  Now 
when  you  want  to  make  ink,  put  a  little  of  this  mixture  into 
a  glass  of  white  wine,  and  it  will  instantly  blacken,  and  be  fit 
for  use. 

277.     Of  the  use  of  sugar  candy  in  ink. 

Sugar-candy  has  the  admirable  virtue  of  restoring  bad  ink 
into  good.  It  blackens  it,  renders  it  shiny,  and  makes  it  run 
properly.  Therefore  it  is  most  advisable  to  pr.t  some  pow- 
der of  white  sugar  candy  into  the  bottle  or  ink-horn. 

278.     A  sort  of  black  ink  fit  for  painting  figures )  and  to 
'write  upon  staffs,  and  lineny  as  'well  as  on  paper. 

Bruise  on  the  stone- one  ounce- of  gall-nuts,  and  put  it  in  a 
pmt  of  trong  white  wine  vinegar  on  the  fire,  with  two  oun- 
ce of  iron  filing*.  Evaporate  away  about  one  half  of  the 
liquor  in  boiling  it  gently,  strain  the  remainder,  and  keep  it 
for  use. 

It  \vould  not  belaiproper  to  add  a  little  gum-arabic  to 
the  above  composition ;  however,  it  may  as  well  be  let 
alone. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  ss 

279.    To  prevent  ink  from  freezing  in  'winter. 

If  instead  of  water,  you  make  use  of  brandy  with  the 
Fame  ingredients  which  enter  into  the  composition  of  any 
ink,  that  ink  never  will  freeze.  You  may  also  put  some  into 
the  ink  already  made  otherwise,  and  it  will  assist  a  good  deal 
In  preventing  the  frost  from  acting  upoB  it. 

280.     To  make  Canton's  Phosphorus. 

Take  some  oyster  shells ;  calcine  them,  by  keeping  them 
In  a  good  fire  for  about  an  hour.  Select  out  of  the  calcined 
shells  the  purest  and  whitest  parts,  and  pound  and  sift  them. 
To  three  parts  of  this  lime,  add  one  of  flowers  of  sulphur,; 
mix  them  well  together,  and  put  them  well  pressed  into  a 
crucible.  Place  it  in  a  good  fire,  where  it  must  be  kept  red 
hot  for  an  hour  at  least ;  it  may  then  be  taken  out  to  cool. 
When  it  is  cold,  break  the  mass  to  pieces,  and  select  out  of 
it  the  brightest  part,  which  will  shine  in  the  dark. 

281.  To  male  a  Phosphoric  Fire  Bottle. 

Take  a  very  small  phial,  and  put  into  it  a  bit  of  phospho- 
rus as  large  as  a  pea,  and  fill  up  the  bottle  with  lime.  Fix 
an  iron  vessel,  as  a  shovel,  for  instance,  with  common  sand5 
and  put  it  over  the  fire.  Set  the  phial  in  this  sand,  having 
loosely  stopped  it  with  a  cork.  Stir  about  the  ingredients 
with  a  wire,  and  mix  them  together,  taking  care  that  the 
phosphorus  does  not  catch  fire  by  too  great  an  access  of  an\ 
Keep  the  bottle  in  the  sand  till  the  phosphorus  is  thoroughly 
incorporated  with  the  lime,  when  it  will  be  of  a  reddiah 
yellow. 

This  bottle  is  extremely  convenient  for  procuring  an  in- 
stantaneous light  in  the  dark.  For  this  purpose,  nothing 
more  is  necessary  than  to  uncork  the  bottle,  and  to  introduce 
a  brim  tone  match,  stirring  it  about  a  little^  by  which  it  will 
catch  fire  and  light. 

The  boitle  must  be  always  kept  carefully  corked,  and 
opened  as  seldom  a3  possible. 

A  more  durable  kind  may  be  made  by  uniting  together 
one  part  of  sulphur  with  eight  of  phosphorus,  When  this  is 
used,  a  match  is  introduced  into  it,  and  then  rubbed  upon  a 
bit  of  cork. 

282,     Changing  Iron  apparently  into  Copper. 

Dissolve  some  blue  vitriol  (sulphrate  of  copper)  in  watery 
ar.cl  dip  into  the  solution  a  piece  of  bright  iron  or  steel ;  in 
a  few  seconds  it  may  be  taken  cut,  when  it  will  be  apparent™ 


8*  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

!y  turned  to  copper.  This  is  a  deception ;  the  iron  is  not 
changed  into  copper  ;  it  is  only  encrusted  over  with  that 
metal,  as  may  be  easily  seen  by  removing  the  copper  by  a  file, 
The  iron  having  a  stronger  attraction  for  sulphuric  acid  than 
copper,  it  takes  the  acid  from  the  latter,  which  is  consequent- 
ly precipitated.  This  process  is  used  for  obtaining  the  cop- 
per from  waters  near  mines  that  contain  a  great  quantity  of 
that  metal.  Iron  plates  are  put  into  them,  which  become  ia- 
crusted  with  copper,  which  is  scraped  off. 

283.     Artificial  Fire-Works. 

Artificial  fire-works  are  of  two  kinds — those  made  of  gun- 
powder, nitre,  and  other  inflammable  substances  and  filings 
of  the  rnetab,  camphor,  &c. ;  and  those  produced  by  hydro- 
gen or  inflamible  air. 

Those  made  with  gun-powder  are  well  known,  and  are 
called  rockets,  fire- wheels,  tourbillons,  &c. 

Of  these,  the  most  usual  are  rockets.  They  are  made  by 
ramming  into  strong  cylindrical  paper  cases  put  into  wooden 
moulds,  like  small  hollow  columns,  powdered  gunpowder,  or 
the  ingredients  of  which  it  is  composed,  viz. — saltpetre,  sul- 
phur, and  charcoal,  very  dry. 

If  you  would  represent  a  fiery  rain  falling  from  the  rocket, 
mix  among  your  charge  a  composition  of  powdered  glass,  fil- 
ings of  iron,  and  saw-du-t :  this  shower  is  called  the  .peacock's 
tail,  on  account  of  the  various  colours  that  appear  in  it. 
Camphor  mixed  with  the  charge,  produces  white  or  pale  ftre ; 
resin  a  reddish  colour,  sulphur  a  blue,  sal  ammoniac  a  green, 
antimony  a  reddl>h  yellow,  ivory  shavings  a  silvery  white9 
pitch  a  deep  or  dark  coloured  fire,  and  steel  tilings,  beautiful 
corrugations  and  sparks. 

Sticks  are  fastened  to  the  rockets,  by  which  they  are  pro- 
jected into  the  air,  after  they  have  been  lighted;  the  charge 
burning  with  great  m  tensity  at  one  end,  acts  upon  the  air, 
which,  in  its  turn,  re-acts  upon  the  rocket,,  and  causes  it  to 
ascend,  on  the  same  principle  a;  a  boat  i.s  put  off  by  a  man  ift 
it,  who  pushes  against  the  shore  with  a  boat-hook. 

284?.     To  lay  Mezzotints  Prints  upon  Glass. 

Take  what  mezzatiiRo  prints  you  please  ;  cut  off  the  mar- 
gin, and  lay  it  flat  in  a  di  Ji  of  clear  hot  water  ;  let  it  remain 
on  the  surface  till  it  cink>.  When  you  take  it  out,  be  careful 
not  to  break  it,  and  press  it  be;wixt  cle^n  cloth,  or  paper,  so 
that  no -water  may  appear  on  the  surface,  but  the  prints  .be 
quite  damp :  then  lay  it,  face  uppermost,  on  a  flat  table ; 
have  ready  a  plate  of  pure  crown  g?a  s,  free  from  all  spots  or 
scratches  -r  lay  some  Venice  turpentine  al!  over  one  side  of  it 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES,  85 

with  a  soft  brush,  and  hold  it  to  the  fire  a  little,  to  make  it 
run  quite  equal  and  thin  ;  then  let  it  fail  gently  on  the  print. 
Press  it  down,  that  the  turpentine  may  stick  to  the  print; 
and  also  press  the  print  with  your  fingers,  from  the  middle  to 
the  edges  of  the  glass,  so  that  no  blisters  may  remain.  Wet 
your  print  now  with  a  -oit  cloth,  and  rub  it  gently  with  your 
finger,  and  the  paper  wi;l  peej  off,  leaving  only  the  impression 
upon  the  glass.  When  it  is  dry,  wet  it  ever  with  oil  of  tur» 
pentirie  till  It  is  transparent,  and  set  it  by  to  dry,  when  it 
will  be  fit  for  painting.  The  colours  used  for  painting  in  this 
manner,  are  the  usual  oil  colours,  and  there  is  nothing  in  the 
process  particular. 

285.     Method  of  distinguishing  Iron  from  Steel. 

Drop  a  little  weak  aqua  fortis  on  the  metal ;  let  it  remaia 
for  a  few  minute.?,  and  then  wash  it  off  with  water.  Jf  it  is 
steel,  the  spot  will  be  -black ;  but  if  iron,  the  spot  will  btf 
whitish  grey. 

286.     To  procure  Animalcule  for  the  Microscope. 

The  surface  of  infused  liquors  is  generally  covered  with  a 
thin  pellicle,  which  is  easily  broken,  but  acquires  thickness 
by  standing.;  the  greatest  number  of  animalcules  are  generally 
to  be  found  in  this  superficial  film. 

To  make  an  infusion  of  pepper.  Cover  the  bottom  of  an 
open  jar,  about  half  an  inch  thick,  with  common  black  pep- 
per bruised  ;  pour  as  much  soft  water  in  the  vessel  as  will  rise 
about  an  inch  above  the  pepper.  The  pepper  and  water  are 
•then  to  be  well  shaken  together  ;  after  which  they  must  not 
be  stirred,  but  be  left  exposed  to  the  air  for  a  tew  days,  whca 
a  thin  pellicle  will  be  formed  on  the  surface  of  the  water, 
containing  millions  of  animalcule. 

To  procure  the  eels  in  pa$te>  boil  a  little  flour  and  water  till 
it 'becomes  of  a  moderate  consistence ;  expose  it  to  the  air  in 
an  open  vessel,  and  beat  it  together  from  time  to  time,  to  pre» 
vent  the  surface  from  growing  hard  or  mouldy  :  after  a  few 
<day&,  especially  in  summer  time,  it  will  turn  sour;  then,  if  it 
be  examined  with  attention,  you  will  find  myriads  of  eel§  on 
the  surface.  Apply  them  to  the  microscope  on  a  slip  of  flat 
glass,  first  putting  on  it  a  drop  of  water,  taken  up  by  the  head 
,of  a  pin,  for  them  to  swim  in. 

287.     A  process  for  purifying  Fish  Oil* 

Take  a  gallon  of  crude  stinking  oil,  and  put  to  it  a  pint  of 
-water  poured  off  from  two  ounces  of  lime  slacked  in.the  air ; 
stir  the  mixture  up  several  times  for  the  first  twenty 
I 


*b  .SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

hours-;  then  let  it  stand  a  day,  and  the  lime  water  will  Sink 
.bciow  the  oil,  \vhich  must  be  carefully  separated  from  it, 

288.      REFINING   METALS. 

The  term  refining  signifies  the  purification  of  some  sub- 
•stance:  but  we  mean  to  confine  it  at  present  to  the  separation 
t'f  gold,  silver,  and  copper,  from  each  other;  aad  obtaining 
each  of  them  in  a  pure  state. 

Cttpellation. 

Gold  and  Silver  being  the  only  metals  capable  of  with- 
standing the  action  of  very  strong  heat,  are  therefore  called 
perfect  metals.  All  other  metals  are  reduced  to  the  state  cf 
oxydes  when  exposed  to  a  violent  fire  with  access  of  air.  Gold 
and  silver  may  therefore  be  purified  from  all  the  baser  metals, 
by  keeping  them  feed  till  the  alloy  be  destroyed :  but  this 
•process  would  be  very  expensive,  from  the  great  consumption 
of  fuel,  and  would  be  exceedingly  tedious.  A  shorter  and 
more  advantageous  method  of  performing  this  operation  has 
been  discovered. 

A. certain  quantity  of  lead  is  added  to  the  alloy  of  gold  and 
silver,  and  the  whole  is  exposed  to  the  action  of  the  fire, 

Lead  is  one  of  the  .metals  which  is  most  quickly  converted 
by  heat  into  an  oxyde,  which  is  easily  melted  into  a  semi-vit- 
rified, and  powerful  vitrifying  matter,  calkd  litharge.  By  in- 
crea  ing  the  proportion  of  imperfect  metals,  it  prevents  them 
from  being  so  well  covered  and  protected  by  the  perfect  me- 
tals ;  and  by  uniting  with  these  imperfect  metals,  it  commu« 
r;icates  to  them  its  property  of  being  very  easily  oxydated. 
By  its  vitrifying  and  fusing  property,  which  it  exercises  with 
all  its  force  upon  the  calcined  and  naturally  refractory  parts 
of  the  other  metals,  it  facilitates  and  accelerates  the  fusion, 
^corification,  and  separation  of  these  metals,  Tti€  lead,  which 
i;i  this  operation  is  scorified,  and  scorifies  along  with  it  the 
Imperfect  metals,  separates  from  the  metallic  mass,  with  which 
it  is  then  incapable  of  remaining  united.  It  floats  upon  the 
surface  of  the  melted  mass,  and  becomes  semi-vitrified.  But 
-she  litharge  so  produced  would  soon  cover  the  melted  metal, 
and  by  preventing  the  access  of  aic>  would  prevent  the  oxy* 
dation  of  the  remaining  imperfect  metals.  To  remedy  this, 
such  vessels  are  employed  as  are  capable  of  imbibing  and  ab« 
.sovbing  in  their  pores  the  melted  littiarge,  and  thus  remove  it 
put  of  the  way.  Or,  for  large  quantities,  vessels  are  so  con- 
structed, that  the  toed  litharge,  besides  :being  soaked  in,  may 
dso  drain  off  through  a, channel  made  in  th.e  corner  of  the 
vessel. 

has  shewn,  that,  for  this  purpose,  vessels  made 


SECRETS  1ST  A!iTS  AND  TRADES.  8? 

of  lixiviated  wo©d  or  bone  a-hes  are  mo>t  proper.  These 
vessels  are  called  cupels,  and  this  process  is  called  cupcllation. 
The  cupels  are  flat  and  shallow.  The  furnace  ought  to  be 
vaulted,  that  the  he-it  may  be  reverberated  upon  the  surface 
of  the  metal  during  the  whole  time  of  the  operation.  ^  Upon 
this  surface  a  crust  or  dark  coloured  pellicle  is  continually 
forming.  In  the  instant  when  all  the  imperfect  metal  is  de.~ 
iroyed,  and  consequently  the  scorification  ceases,  the  surface 
of  the  perfect  metal  is  seen,  and  appears  clean  and  Hfitliaht. 
This  forms  a  kind  of  figuration,  or  corruscation,  called 
lightning.  By  this  mark,  the  metal  is  known  to  be  refined. 

Purification,  of  gold  'by  antimony.  When  gold  contains  only 
a  small  quantity  of  alloy,  it  may  be  separated  from  them  by 
melting  it  in  a  crucible  that  will  hold  twice  its  quantity  at 
least,  and  throwing  upon  it,  whilst  in  fusion,  twice  its  weight 
of  crude  antimony  (sulphuret  of  antimony).  The  crucible  is 
then  to  be  covered,  and  the  whole  i.s  to  be  kept  in  a  melting 
state  for  some  minutes ;  arid  when  the  surface  sparkle?,  it  il 
quickly  to  be  poured  into  an  inverted  cone,  which  has  been 
previously  heated  and  greased.  By  striking  the  cone  on  the 
ground,  the  metal  will  coaie  out  when  cold.  The  compact' 
;rn.-ifi«;  consists  of  two  substinces  A  the  upper  part  is  the  su!- 
prur  oftbe  crude  'antimony,  upited  with  the  impure  a-iloy  ; 
owcr  part  i~  the  p-o.d,  united  to  ?ome  of  the  regulu } 
:y,  pn)portionahl'N  to  the  quantities  of  metals  which 
:-een  separated  from  the  gold,  which  are  now  united 
with  the  sulphur  of  the  antimony.  This  regains  of  gold  may 
&e  vjp.-irated  from  the  regular  of  antimony  by  simple  exposure 
to  less  heat  than  will  melt  the  gold,  because  antimony  is  vol- 
atile in  such  a  heat,  .and  is  then  dissipated.  If  the  gold  is  not 
sufficiently  purified  by  this  first  process  (which  is  often  the 
t'a-'e>)  it  mubt  be  repeated  a  second,  and  even  a  third  time. 
When  a  part  is  dissipated,  more  heat  is  required  to  keep  the 
g  old  -in  fusion;  therefore  thti  fire  must  be  increased  towards 
the  end  of  the  operation.  The  purification  i;  completed  by 
means  of  a  little  nitre  thrown  into  the  crucible,  which  effect- 
wally  calcines  the  remaining  regulus  of  antimony.  Sometime  , 
after  these  operations,  the  gold  is  found  to  be  deprived  of 
much  of  its  usual  ductility ;  this  however  is  easily  restored 
to  it,  by  fusing  it  with  nitre  and  boras:.  The  first  part  of  this 
process  is  founded  on. a  property  of  sulphur,  by  which  it  h 
incapable  of  uniting  with  gold/ and  is  strongly  disposed  to 
unite  with  a>l  other  metallic  substance-,  excepting  platina  and 
zinc  ;  and  also  upon  the  property  of  sulphur,  that  it  has  le*3 
aflinity  with  regulus  of  antimony  than  with  any  metallic  sub- 
stance with  which  it  cau  unite.  Hence,  when  gold,  alloyed 
silver,  copper,  iron,  lead,  £c.  is  fused  together  with  sul- 
antimony, these,  latter  metals  unite  with  the  guU 


B8  SECRETS  IK  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

phur  of  the  antimony,  while  the  reguline  part,  disengaged 
from  them  by  its  sulphur,  unites  with  the  gold. 

The  sulphur  of  the  antimony,  though  it  unites  with  the  ba~ 
£er  metals,  does  not  destroy  them,  but  forms  with  them  a  sco-- 
Ha,  from  which  they  may  be  separated  by  treatment  as  an  ore. 

Parting. 

When  the  quantity  of  silver  united  to  the  gold  is  consider- 
&b)e5  they  may  be  separated  by  other  processes.  Nitric  acid, 
rnuriafic  acid,  and  sulphur,  which  cannot  dissolve  gold,  at- 
tack silver  very  easily  ;•  and  therefore  these  three  agents  fur-- 
:nL-h  methods  of  separating  silver  from  gold,  which  operation 
'is  called  parting. 

Parting  by  nitric  acid  is  the  most  convenient,  and  therefore 
inost  used,  and  is  even  almost  the  only  one  employed  by  gold-- 
smiths and  coiners.  Wherefore  it  Is  called  simply,  parting. 
That  made  with  muriatic  acid  is  oniy  made  by  cementation,-, 
nnd  is  known  by  the  name  of  concentrated  parting.  Lastly, 
parting  by  sulphur  is  made  by  fusion,  and  is  therefore  called 
dry  parting. 

Parting  go!d  from  silver  by  nitric  acid  or  aqua  forth.  Al- 
though partir/g  by  nitric  acid  be  easy,  it  cannot  succeed,  or 
be  very  exact,  unless  we  attend  to  some  essential  circumstan- 
ces. The  gold  and  silver  must  be  in  a  proper  proportion  ; 
for  if  the  gold  be  in  too  great  a  quantity,  the  silver  would  be 
covered  and  guarded  by  it  from  the  action  of  the  acid  ;  there- 
fore, when  assayers  do  not  know  the  proportion  of  gold  to 
River  in  the  mas?,  they  rub  the  mass  upon  a  tcucb-stone 
(which  is  usually  composed  of  black  basa^te?,  though  black 
pottery  will  do  very  well,)  so  as  to  leave  a  mark  upon  it ;: 
they  then  make  similar  marks  with  the  proof-needles  (which 
rive  needles  composed  of  gold  and  silver  ai.oyed  together  in 
graduated  proportion?,)  and  by  comparing  the  colour  of  the 
several  marks,  they  discover  the  probable  scale  of  admixture. 
If  the  trial  shews,  that  in  any  given  mass  the  silver  is  not 
to' the  gold  as  three  to  one,  this  mass  is  improper  for  the  ope- 
ration of  parting  by  aqua  furtis.  In  this  ca-:e,  the  quantity 
of  silver  necessary  to  make  any  alloy  of  that  proportion,  must 
be  added.  This  operation  1.3  tailed  quartationy  because  it  re- 
duces the  gold  to  a  fourth  of  the  whole  mass.  No  inconve- 
Kience  arises  from  too  great  quantity  of  silver,  except  a  waste 
of  aqua  fortis.  The  nitric  acid  or  aqua  fortis  employed,  must 
be  very  pure,  and  especially  free  from  mixture  of  sulphuric 
and  muriatic  acids.  Its  purity  must  therefore  be  ascertained  ; 
and  if  this  be  found  not  sufficient,  the  acid  must  be  purified 
by  nitrate  of  silver. 

If  the  purity  of  t|je  nitric  acid  were  not  attended  to,  a  quan- 
tity of  silver  proportionable  to  these  two  foreign  acids,  would 


SECRETS  IN'  ARTS/kND  TRADES.  8  5> 

be  separated  during  the  solution  ;  and  this  portion  of  silver 
<eonveited  by  these  acids  to  suiphrate  of  silver,  and  to  muriatic 
of  silver,  would  remain  mingled  with  the  gold. 

When  the  metallic  mass  is  properly  alloyed,  it  is  to  be  re- 
duced to  plates  roiled  up  spirally,  calied  cornets,  or  to  grains. 
These  are  to  be  put  into  a  matrass,  and  upon  them  a  quantity 
of  aqua  fortis  is  to  be  poured,  the  weight  of  which  is  to  that 
of  the  silver  as  three  to  two  ;  and  as  the  nitric  acid  employed 
for  this  operation  is  rather  weak,  the  solution  is  assisted,  es- 
pecially at  first,  by  the  heat  of  a  sand-bath,  in  which  the  ma- 
trass is  to  be  placed*  When,  notwithstanding  the  heat,  no 
further  mark  of  solution  appears,  the  aquafortis  charged  with 
silver  is  to  be  decanted.  Fresh  nitric  acid  is  to  be  poured  in- 
to the  matrass,  stronger  than  the  former,  and  in  less  quantity* 
which  must  be  boiled  in  the  remaining  mass,  and  decanted  as 
the  former.  Aqua  fortis  must  even  be  boiled  a  third  time  on 
the  remaining  gold,  that  ail  the  silver  be  certainly  dissolved. 
The  gold  is  then  to  be  washed  with  boiling  water.  This  gold 
H  very  pure,  if  the  operation  has  been  performed  with  due 
attention.  It  is  called  gold  of  parting. 

The  silver  dissolved  in  the  aqua  fortis,  may  be  separated 
either  by  distillation — in  which  case  all  the  aqua  fortis  is  re- 
covered very  pure,  and  fit  for  another  parting — or  it  may  be 
precipitated  by  some  substance  which  has  a  greater  affinity 
than  this  metal  with  nitric-  acid.  Copper  is  generally  em- 
ployed for  this  purpose  in  the  mint. 

The  solution  of  silver  is  put  into  copper  vessels.     The  aqua  • 
fortis  dissolves  the  copper,  and  the  silver  precipitates.     When 
the  silver  is  all  precipitated,  the  new  solution  is  decanted^ 
which  is  then  a  solution  of  copper.     The  precipitate  is  to  be 
well  washed,  and  may  be  melted  into  an  ingot.    It  is  called 
parted  silver.     When  this  silver  has  been  obtained  from  a  * 
mass  which  had  been  refined  by  lead,  and  when  it  has  been  * 
well  washed  from  the  solution  ~of  copper,  it  is  very  pure.  Or 
*he  silver  may  be  separated  from  the  nitric  acid  by  adding  to 
it  muriatic  acid,  with  which  it  forms  muriate  of  silver.     Mu- 
riate of  silver  may  be  -de-composed  by  mixing  it  with  soda, 
and  exposing  it  to  a  sufficient  heat  in  a  crucible,  whereby  the 
soda  unites  to  the  muriatic  acid,  and  sets  the  silver  free. 

The  refiners  frequently  employ  this  solution  of  copper  ob-  - 
f  ;-;ined  in  the  process  of  parting,  for 'making  verditer  ;  which 
is  prepared  by  adding  quick-lime  to  the  solution  ;  a  precipi- 
tate takes  place,  which  is  the  blue  pigment,  known  by  the 
name  of  verditer 

Parting  gold  from  silver  by  cementation.     This  is  abo  called^ 
parting  by  concentration,  and  is  iL-ually  employed  when  the 
quantity  of  gold  is  so  great  to  that  of  the  silver,  as  to  render 
i-  i-  a  difficult  task  by  aqua  fortis.     The  mixed  metal  to  be  -  cc»  - 


so  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES; 

merited  is  to  be  reduced  to  plates,  as  thin  as  small  pieces  of 
money.  At  the  bottom  of  the  crucible,  or  melting-pot,  is  to>- 
be  laid  a  stratum  of  cement,  composed  of  four  parts  of  bricks 
powdered  and  sifted,  one  part  of  green  copperas  (sulphate  of 
iron)  calcined' to  redness,  and  one  part  of  common  salt,  about 
the  thickness  of  a  ringer  in  depth.  Upon  this  stratum  a  layer 
of  plates  of  the  metal  is  to  be  placed,  and  then  another  stra- 
tum of  cement,  and  so  on  till  the  crucible  is  filled.  It  is  now 
to  be  placed  in  a  furnace,  or  oven  (after  a  top  has  been  luted 
on  the  crucible,)  and  exposed  for  twenty-four  hours,  till  it  is 
gradually  made  red  hot,  but  by- no  means  to  be  melted.  The 
fire  is  now  left  to  go  out,  and  the  metal  is  permitted  to  cool, 
that  it  may  be  separated  from  the  cement,  and  boiled  repeat- 
edly in  large  quantities  of  pure  water.  This  gold  is  after- 
wards to  be  tried  on  a  touch- stone  ;  and  if  it  is  not  sufficient- 
ly purified,  the  process  must  be  performed  a  second  time. 
By  the  above  method^  we  see  how  powerfully  silver  is  dissol- 
ved by  marine  acid,  when  it  is  in  a  state  of  subtile  vapour, 
which  is  disengaged  from  the  common  salt  of  the  cement.  In-- 
stead  of  common  salt,  nitre  may  be  used,  as  tire  nitrous  acid 
readily  dissolves  silver  ;  but  the  mixture  of  common  salt  and 
nitre  together  is  highly  injudicious,  because  the  joint  acids  are 
ab!e  to  dissolve  some  of  the  gold  with  the  silver;  Whatever 
silver  has  been  separated,  will  now  remain  in  the  cement ;  but 
it  may  be  freed  from  this  by  lead,  in  the  method  described  in 
cupellation. 

Parting  gold  from  silixr  in  the  dry  way.  This  is  also  called- 
parting  bf  fusion,  and  is  performed  by  means  of  sulphury 
which  has  the  property  of  uniting  easily  with  silver,  while  it- 
does  not  attack  gold.  This  dry  parting  is  troublesome,  and 
even  expensive,  and  ought  not  to  be  undertaken  but  when  the 
silver  far  exceeds  the  gold,  because  salphur  will  not  separate 
It  so  easily  as  aqua  fortis,  and  will  therefore- require  a  further 
application  to  cupellation  arid  solution. 

289.     How  to  renew  old  writings  almost  defaced. 

We  ordered,  in  article  225,  p.  72,  to  boil  ga!l-nuts  in 
wine  ;  but  we  must  add  here  that  it  is  far  preferable  to  infuse 
them  only  twenty-four  hours  in  it,  then  put  all  in  a  retort  and 
distil.  The  liquor  which  comes  from  it  being  passed  on  the 
paper  or  parchment,  will  revive  the  defaced  parts  of  the  wri- 
tings.- 

290.     To  write  in  gold  letter  s>  on  iron  or  steel. 

1.  Pound  some  gold  marcasites  in  a  mortar  ;  put  it  to  in- 
fuse twenty-four  hcrurs  in  vinegar,  and  boil  it  gently  over  the 
ftre  in  a  glased  pipkin,  till  the  vinegar  is  almost  vanished 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  9f 

&way,  which  will  take  you  nearly  a  whole  day's  time  to1  bpiK 
Then  take  the  composition  off  from  the  fire,  and  after  having 
left  it  to  cool  and  dry  a  little  more  in  the  shade,  put  it  in  a 
retort,  and  distil. 

2.  With  this  liquor,  write  on  iron  and  steel  ;  the  letters 
will  appear  black  at  first  :  but  if,  when  dry,  you  rub  over 
them  with  a  piece  of  linen,  they  will  turn  gold  colour. 

291.  An  ink  'which  writes  like  silver,  without  silver  in  it* 

1.  Amalgamate  equal  parts  of  pewter  and  quick  silver,  in 
the  same  manner  as  goldsmiths  do  ;  grind  well  that  amalga« 
mation  on-  the  stone. 

2.  If  you  dilute  of  this  powder  in  gum-arabic  water,  and 
write  with  it,  your  letters  will  appear  like  silver. 


2.  To  write  on  silver  in  black  which  will  never  go  off, 

Take  burnt  lead,  and  pulverise  it.  Incorporate  it  next 
with  sulphur  and  vinegar,  to  the  consistence  of  a  painting 
colour,  and  write  with  it  on  any  silver  plate.  Let  it  dry, 
fchen  present  it  to  the  fire  so  as  to  heat  a  little  the  work,  and 

ail  is  done. 

293.     To  change  red  wine  into  white,  and  white  into  red, 

If  you  want  to  make  red  your  white  wine,  throw  into  the 
cask  a  bag  of  biack  vine-wood  ashes  5  and  to  whiten  the  red 
wine,  you  must  put  a  bag  of  white  vine-wood  ashes.  Forty 
days  after,  take  out  the  bag,  shake  the  cask,-and  let  it  settle 
again  ;  then  you  will  see  the  effect. 

2#4<.  To  prevent  wine  from  fasting,  otherwise  tasting 
of  the  cask,  and  to  give  it  both  a  taste  and  flavour  quite' 
agreeabh* 

Stick  a  lemon  with  cloves  as  thick  as  it  can  hold  ;  hang  it 
by  the  bung-hole  in  a  bag  over  the  wine  in  the  cask  for  three 
or  four  days,  and  stop  it  very  carefully  for  fear  of  its  turning 
dead,  if  it  should  get  air. 

295.     To  make  a  sweet  wine  of  a  very  agreeable  flavour^ 
and  besides  rery  wholesome. 

Gather  the  grapes,  and  expose  them  for  three  whole  days 
in  the  sun.  On  the  fourth  day  at  noon,  put  them  under  the 
press,  and  receive  the  first  drop  which  runs  of  itself  before 
pressing.  When  this  virgin  drop  shall  have  boiled,  or  fer- 
fecated>  put  to  every  fifty  quarts  of  it  one  ounce  of  Floren- 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

tine  orrfce  in  subtile  powder*    A  few  days  after  take  it  oui- 
c  ear  from  its  lye,  and  then  bottle  it. 

296.     To  give  wine  a  most  agreeable  jla you r , 

Take  a  pailful  of  mout^  which  boil  and  evaporate  to  the 
consistence  of  honey.  Theft  mix  with  it  an  ounce  of  Floren- 
tine orrice,  cut  in  small  bit?,  and  one  drachm  of  cosius.  Put 
ail  into  a  bag,'  and  let  it  down  in  the  cask  by  the  bung-hole, 
after  having  previously  dn*wn  out  a.  sufficient  quantity  of 
v.ine  to  prevent  the  hag  fjom  coming  *t  itv  This  bag  beins 
thus  suspended  by  a  string,  which'  vml'  hang  out  of  the  bung 
hole,  stop  it  well 'and  there  will  drop  from  the  bag  into  the 
wine  a  liquor  which  wilt  give  it  a  most  agreeable  taste. 

297.     H0w  to  find  out  wittier  or  not  there  be  water 
mixtd  in  a  cask  of  wine* 

Throw  in  the  cask  one  wild  pear  or  applo.  If  either  of 
these  fruits  swim,  it  is  a  proof  there  is  no  water  in  the  wine  ; 
for  if  there  be  any,  it  \vi!i  ;stfnk; 

298.     To  separate  water  from  wine. 

Put  into  the  ca*k  a  wick  of  cotton,  which  should  soak  in 
•lie  wine  by  one  end,  and  come  out  of  the  cask  at  the  bung 
hole  by  the  other  ;  and  every  drop  of  water  which  may  har  « 
ren  to  be  mixed  with  the  winej  will  still  out  by  that  wick  or 
filter. 

You  may  apin  put  some  of  this  wine  into  a  cup  made  of 
ivy  wood,  and  then  the  water  will  perspire  through  the  pores 
of  the  cup,  and  the  wine  remain. 

29 9 .     To  restore  a  wins. 

Put  in  the  ca?k  one  pound  of  Paris  plaister.  Then  make 
apiece  of  steel  red  hot  in  the  fire;  and  by  means  of  a  wire 
£xed  to  one  of  its  end*,  introduce  it  by  the  bunghole  into  the 
wine.  Repeat  this  operation  for  five  or -six-days  running,  as 
many  times  each  day.  Then,  final'y,  throw  into  the  wine  a 
stick  of  brimstone  tied  in  a  bag.  which  you  take  off  two  days 
after ;  and  the  wine  will  be  perfectly  well  restored. 

SCO.     Te  correct  a  lad  taste  and  sourness  in  wine. 

Put  in  a  bag  a  root  of  wild  horse  radish  cut  in  bits.  Let 
it  down  in  the  wine,  and  leave  it  thete  two  days  ;  take  this 
out,  and  put  another,  repeating  the  same  till  the  wine,  is  per- 
fectly restored- 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  93 

501.  To  cure  those  who  are  too  much  addicted  to  drink- 

ing wine. 

Put  in  a  sufficient  quantity  of  wine,  three  or  four  large 
teels,  which  leave  there  till  quite  dead.  Give  that  wine  to 
drink  to  the  persons  you  want  to  reform,  and  they  will  be  so 
Biuch  disgusted  of  wine,  that  though  they  formerly  made 
much  use  of  it,  C.ey  will  now  have  quite  an  aversion  to  it. 

502.  To  prevent  one  jrom  getting  intoxicated  with  drink- 

'»£• 

Take  white  cabbages,  a»d  four  pomegranate  juices,  two 
ounces  of  each,  with  one  of  vinegar.  Boil  all  together  for 
some  time,  to  the  consistence  of  a  syrup.  Take  one  ounce 
of  this  before  you  are  going  to  drink,  and  drink  afterwards 
as  much  as  you  p leave. 

303.     A  method  of  making  people  drunk ,  without  endan- 
gering their  health. 

Infuse  some  aloe  wood,  which  comes  from  India,  in  a  glass 
of  wine,  and  give  it  to  drink.  The  person  who  drinks  it  will 
soon  give  signs  of  his  intoxication  .- 

304.     To  recover  a  person  from  intoxication. 

Make  such  a  person  drink  a  glass  of  vinegar,  or  seme  cab- 
bage juice,  otherwise  give  him  some  honey.  You  may  like* 
wLe  meet  with  success,  by  giving  the  patient  a  glass  of  wine 
quite  warm  to  drink,  or  a  dish  of  strong  coffee,  without  milk 
or  sugar,  adding  to  it  a  large  teaspoon  full  of  salt. 

305.     To  prevent  the  breath  from  smelling  of  wine. 

C  hew  a  root  of  iris  troghtida,  and  no  one  can  discover 
by  your  breath  whether  you  have  been  drinking  wine  or  not, 

506.     To  preserve  good  wine  to  the  last. 

Take  a  pint  of  the  best  spirit  of  wine,  and  put  in  it  the 
bulk  of  your  two  fists  of  the  second  peel  of  the  alder  tree, 
which  is  green.  After  it  has  infused  three  days  strain  the 
liquor  through  a  cloth,  and  pour  it  into  a  hogshead  of  wine. 
That  wine  will  keep  good  for  ten  years,  if  you  want  it. 

307.      To  make  good  wine  vinegar  in  a  short  time. 

Throw  some  Taxus  wood,  or  yew-treee,  in  any  wine,  ? 
it  will  not  be  long  before  it  turns  into  vinegar. 


94  SECRETS  IN' ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

.308.     To  m&ke  •very  good  and  strong  vinegar  ivith  the 
nvors  t  of  tut  ties. 

Grind  into  subtile  powder  five  pounds  of  crude  tartar. — 
'Pour  on  it  one  pound  of  oil  of  vitriol.  Wrap  up  the  who'e 
in  a  bag,  tie  it  and  hang  it  by  the  bung-hole,  in  a  ca-k  of  bad. 
and  totally  spoiled  wine.  Move  and  &tir  now  and  then  that 
bag  in  the  wine,  and  it  will  turn  into  very  *  jod  vinegar. 

309.  To  turn  wine  into  vinegar  in  less  than  three  houn\ 

Put  in  the  wine  a  red  beet,  and  it  will  be  quite  sour  and 
true  vinegar,  in  less  than  three  hours. 

310.     To  restore  such  a  wine  to  its  first  taste. 

Take  off  the  red  beet,  and  in  its  stead  put  a  cabbage  root 
into  that  wine,  and  it  will  return  to  its  primary  taste,  in  ihie 
same  space  of  time. 

511.     An  excellent  preparation  of  vinegar. 

Take  white  cinnamon,  long  pepper,  and  cyprus,  of  each 
£ii  ounce;  round  pepper,  half  an  ounce,  and  two  nutmegs. 
Pulverise  each  drug  separately,  and  put  them  in  so  many  dis- 
tinct bags.  Put  them  in  six  different  and  separate  quarts  of 
The  be-t  vinegar,  and  boil  them  two  or  three  minuter. 

2.  Then  boil  separately  six  quarts  of  good  wine. 

r;.  Season  a  cask,  which  is  done  by  pouring  a  quart  of  the 
best  vinegar  into  it,  with  which  you  rinse  it,  Then-pour  in 
your  boiled  wine  and  vinegars,  and  fill  ha'f  way  the  cask,  with 
ihe  worst  and  most  spoiled  wine.  Stop  the  cask,  and  keep 
it  till  the  vinegar  is  done.  Then  draw  from  it,  and  refill  the 
ca-k  with  the  same  quantity  of  bad  wine,  as  you  take  oft' 
vinegar. 

312.     To  render  vinegra  alkali. 
Saturate  any  quantity  of  vinegar  with  salt  of  tartar. 

313.     To  make  in  one  four,  good  rore  vinegar. 

Put  a  drachm  of  hare's  marrow  in  a  pint  of  wine,  and  yo 
will  see  the  consequence. 

314.  Another  method  to  make  suck  vinegar  in  an  instant. 

1.  Take  common  rose?,  and  unripe  blackberries,  which 
grow  in  hedges,  of  each  four  ounces,  and  of  barberry  fruits 
one.  Dry  them  all  in  the  shade,  and  reduce  them  into  sub- 
tile powder* 


SECRETS  IN  ATiTS  AND  TRADES.  9£ 

2,  Mi*  two  drachms  of  this  powder  into  a  glass  of  white 
or  red  wine.  Then  let  it  settle  to  the  bottom,  and  strain  it 
through  a  cloth.  It  will  be  a  very  line  vinegar. 

315.  To  operate  the  same  in  one  hour's  timey  on  a  larger 

quantity  of  ivine. 

1.  Take  the  best  rye-flour,  which  dilute  in  the  strongest 
vinegar,  and  make  a  thin  round  cake  with  it.    Bake  it  quite 
clry  in  the  oven  ;  then  pound  it  into  a  very  fine  powder,  with 
which  and  vinegar,  make  again  another  cake  as  before,  and 
hake  it  like  the  first.     Reiterate  this  operation  thrte  or  four 
limes. 

2.  If  you  hang   the   last    made  cake  in  a  cask  of  wine 
quite  hot,  you  will  turn  the  whole  into  vinegar  in  less  than 
an  hour* 

316.  The  receipt  of  tht  vinegar,  called  the  Grand  Con- 

stable's Vinegar. 

Take  one  pound  of  damask  raisins,  and  cure  them  of  their 
stones.  Put  these  rai.uns  in  a  glazed  jar,  with  two  quarts  of 
good  rose  vinegar.  Let  all  infuse  for  one  night  over  hot  ashes, 
then  boil  it  the  next  morning  four  or  five  minutes  only.  Take 
it  off  tbe  fire  and  let  it  cool,  strain  it  through  a  cloth,  and 
bottle  it  to  keep  for  use,  afterwards  cork  the  bottle. 

17.     A  secret  to  increase  the  strength  and  sharpness  of 
the  vinegar. 

il  two  quarts  of  good  vinegar  to  the  evaporation  of  one  ; 
then  put  it  in  a  vessel,  and  set  it  in  the  sun  for  a  week.  Now 
if  you  mix  thi^  vinegar  among :  ix  times  as  large  a  quantity  of 
bad  vinegar  in  a  small  cask,  it  will  not  only  mend  it,  but  make 
it  very  strong  and  agreeable. 

&18.  The  secret  for  making  good vinegar ',  given  by  avitfr 
egar-man  at  Paris. 

1.  Pound  coarsely,  or  rather  brui?e  only,  one  ounce  of 
long  pepper,  as  much  in  ginger  and  the  ?ame'  quantity  of 
pyrethra.    Put  these  in  a  pan  over  the  fire  with  six  quarts  of 

ine.  Heat  this  only  to  whiteness,  then  put  it  in  a  small 
isk,  and  set  it  in  the  sun,  or  over  a  baker's  oven,  or  any  other 
rarm  place. 

2.  Now  and  then  add  new  wine  in  your  cask,  after  having 
viously  heated  it  as  before,  and  Jet  that  quantity  be  no 

ignore  than  two  or  three  quarts  at  a  time,  till  the  cask  is  quite 
fall.    If  you  add  a  few  quarts  of  real  vinegar,  it  will  be  the 


•*6  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  T 

v»  ft** 

stronger.  Before  casking  the  wine,  let  it  rest  in  the  pan  m 
in  which  it  has  boiled  for  two  or  three  days.  A  glazed  ear- 
then  pan  is  preferable  to  a  copper  one  for  boiling  the  wine  in  ; 
for  during  the  three  days  infusion,  the  copper  might  commu- 
nicate a  dangerous  quality  of  verdigrease  to  the  vinegar.— 
When  you  put  vinegar  to  meliorate  this  composition,  instead 
of  wine,  you  must  take  care  to  heat  it  over  the  fire,  but  not 
so  much  as  the  wine.  Let  the  cask  be  well  rinsed  and  per- 
fectly clean,  before  putting  the  vinegar  in. 

.3.  The  wild  blackberries  which  grow  in  hedges  are  very 
good  to  make  vinegar,  but  they  must  be  used  while  red  ;  then 
put  them  in  the  wine,  heat  this  to  whiteness,  and  proceed  in 
the  same  manner  as  you  do  with  pyretbra,  ginger,  and  long 
pepper  The  dose  of  blackberries  is  not  det€rmined  ;  you 
may  take  any  discretionabie  quantity  of  them,  and  the  vinegar 
which  results  from  these  is  very  good. 

319.     To  make  vinegar  with  water* 

Put  thirty  or  forty  pounds  of  wild  pears  in  a  large  tub, 
where  you  leave  them  for  three  days  to  ferment, 'then  pour 
some  water  over  them,  and  repeat  this  every  day  for  a  month. 
At  the  end  of  which  it  will  make  a  very  good  vinegar. 

320.     To  make  good  vinegar  imth  spoiled  wine. 

Put  a  large  kettle  fall  oi  spoiled  wine  on  the  fire ;  boi* 
and  skim  it.  When  wasted  of  a  third  put  it  in  a  caskf 
wherein  there  is  some  very  good  vinegar.  Add  a  few  hand- 
fuls  of  chervil  over  it  in  the  cask,  and  stop  the  vessel  per- 
fectly clo^e.  You  will  have  very  good  vinegar  in  a  very  short 
time. 

32 1.  A  dry  portable  vinegar ',  or  the  vinalgre  en  poudre. 

Wash  well  half  a  pound  of  white  tartar  with  warm  water, 
then  dry  it,  and  pulverise  it  as  fine  as  possible.  Soak  that 
powder,  with  good  sharp  vinegar,  and  dry  it  before  the  fire, 
or  in  the  sun.  Resoak  it  again  as  before  with  vinegar,  and 
dry  as  above,  repeating  this  operation  a  dozen  times.  By 
these  means  you  shall  have  a  very  good  and  sharp  powder, 
which  turns  water  itself  instantly  into  vinegar.  It  is  very 
convenient  to  carry  in  the  pocket,  especially  when  travelling, 

322.  To  make  a  rossolis  which  may  serve  as  a  founds 

tion  to  other  liquors. 

Put  three  quarts  of  brandy,  and  one  of  water  in  a  glazed 
earthen  pot.  Place  this  pot  on  a  charcoal  fire,  adding  a  crust 
of  foread  and  one  ounce  of  anniseed,  and  cover  it  till  it  boils 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  97 

f 

Then  uncover  it  and  let  it  boil  five  minutes,and  put  in  a  pound 
of  sugar,  or  more  if  you  chuse.  Now  beat  the  white  of  an  egg 
with  a  little  of  your  liquor,  take  the  pot  off  the  fire,  and  throw 
in  the  white  of  an  egg.  Let  this  thus  rest  for  three  days. 

323.     To  make  Raspberry,  Strawberry,  Cherry,  or  other 
such  waters. 

1.  Take  the  ripest  raspberries,  strain  them  through  a  linen 
cloth  to  express  all  the  juice  out  of  them.  Put  this  in  a  glass 
bottle  uncorcked,  and  set  it  in  the  sun,  in  a  stove,  or  before  the 
fire  till  cleared  down.  Then  decant  it  gentfy  into  another  bot- 
tle, without  disturbing  the  faces  which  are  at  the  bottom. 

2.  To  half  a  pint  of  this  juice,  put  a  quart  of  common 
water,  and  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  sugar.    Beat  all  together, 
by  pouring  backwards  and  forwards,  from  one  vessel  into  an- 
other, strain  it  through  a  linen  cloth,  and  set  it  to  cool  in  a 
pail  of  ice.  It  is  a  fine  cooling  draught  in  the  summer. 

3.  Strawberries,  cherries,  &c.  are  done  in  the  same  manner. 

324.     Lemonade  water  at  a  cheap  rate. 

Dissolve  half  a  pound  of  sugar  in  a  quart  of  water ;  ra^p 
over  it  the  yellow  part  of  one,  two,  or  three  lemons,  as  you 
like,  and  mix  a  few  drops  of  essential  oil  of  sulphur  in  the 
liquor.  Then  cut  three  or  four  slices  of  lemon  in  the  bowl, 
when  you  put  the  liquor  in  it. 

325.     Apricot  water. 

Take  a  dozen  of  apricots,  very  ripe.  Peel  and  stone  them. 
Boil  a  quart  of  water,  then  take  it  off  from  the  fire  and  throw- 
in  your  apricots.  Half  an  hour  after  put  in  a  quarter  of  a 
pound  of  lump  sugar,  which  being  dissolved,  strain  all  through 
a  cloth,  and  put  it  to  cool  in  ice  as  the  others. 

326.     To  make  exceeding  good  Lemonade. 

On  a  quart  of  water  put  the  juice  of  three  lemons,  or  two 
only  if  they  be  very  juicy.  Ardd  seven  or  eight  zests  of  them 
be  ides,  with  one  quarter  of  a  pound  of  sugar.  When  the  su- 
gar is  dissolved,  strain  the  liquor,  and  cool  it  in  ice  as  before 
mentioned. 

327.     To  make  a  cooling  Cinnamon  Water. 

Boil  one  quart  of  water  in  a  glass  vessel  before  the  fire.— 
Take  it  off,  and  put  in  two  or  three  cloven,  and  about  haif  an 
ounce  of  Whole  cinnamon.    Stop  weil  the  bottle,  and  when 
K 


S3  SECRETS  INPUTS  AND  TRADES. 

the  water  is  cold,  put  half  a  pint  only  of  it  in  two  quarts  of 
water  with  sugar  to  your  palate,  a  quarter  of  a  pound  is  the 
proper  quantity.  Then  cool  it  as  usual,  in  ice  before  serving. 

328.     Anniseed  Water. 

The  anniseed  water  is  made  in  tke  same  manner  as  the  co- 
riander water. 

329.     Juniper  Water. 

Put  two  pounds  of  juniper  berries  with  two  quarts  of  bran- 
dy in  a  stone  bottle,  which  stop  well  and  place  on  hot  ashes  to 
infuse  for  twenty-four  hours.  Strain  the  liquor,  and  add  one 
pound  of  sugar,  half  an  ounce  of  cinnamon,  as  much  cloves, 
a  preserved  half  peel  of  a  lemon,  and  twopugilsof  anniseed. 
Put  these  in  the  bottle,  stop  it  well,and  place  it  at  two  or  three 
different  times  in  a  baker's  oven,  after  the  bread  is  out,  and 
when  you  may  bear  your  hand  in  it  without  burning. 

330.  To  make  good  Hydromel9  otherwise  Metkeglin, 

Take  honey  and  water,  equal  quantities  in  weight.  Boil 
them  together  and  skim  the  honey.  When  done  sufficiently 
you  may  know  by  putting  an  egg  in,  which  must  swim  at  top. 
Pour  then  the  liquor  in  a  cask  where  there  has  been  spirit  of 
wine,  or  good  brandy,  well  soaked  with  either,  and  still  wet 
with  the  spirit,  and  add  two  or  three  grains  of  ambergris.— 
Stop  well  the  casfc,  and  set  it  in  the  sun  during  the  dog  days. 
When  it  begins  to  ferment,  unstop  the  cask  to  let  the  scum  out, 
which  arises  like  that  of  new  wine.  During  that  time  you  must 
not  stir  the  cask.  When  the  first  fire  of  the  fermentation  has 
subsided,  stop  the  cask  again,  and  the  hydromel  is  fit  for  keep- 
ing. 

Note.  Instead  of  the  sun,  you  may  in  other  seasons,  makci 
use  of  the  top  of  a  baker's  oven,  a  stove,  or  a  hot-house. 

331.     Angelic  water. 

1.  Take  half  an  ounce  of  angelica,  as  much  cinnamon, 
a  quarter  part  of  cloves,  the  same  quantity  of  mace,  of  cori- 
ander, and  of  green  anniseed,  with  half  an  ounce  of  cedar- 
wood.    Bruise  all  these  mgredidents  in  a  mortar,  and  set 
them  to  infuse  for  twelve  hours,  with  two  quarts  of  genuine 
brandy,  in  a  matrass  or  retort.    Then  distil  the  liquor  by  bal- 
neum mari#. 

2.  Two  or  three  ounces  only  of  this  essential  spirit  in  two 
quarts  of  brandy,  with  the  addition  of  a  veTy  small  quantity 
of  musk  and  ambergris?  will  make  a  very  agreeable  liquor. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES,  e* 

332.     To  make  Cinnamon  Water. 

In  three  quarts  of  once  boiled  water,  and  then  cooled  again5 
put  half  a  pint  of  essential  spirit  of  cinnamon,  distilled  like  that 
of  anniseed.  Add  three  pints  of  spirit  of  wine,  and  one  of 
clarified  sugar.  Strain  all  through  the  jelly-bag,  &c.  &c. 

333.     The  preparation  of  musk  and  amber  y  to  have  it 
ready  'when  'wanted  to  put  in  cordials. 

Put  in  a  mortar  and  pulverise  four  grains  of  ambers  two  of 
musk,  and  two  ounces  of  sugar.  Wrap,  this  powder  up  in  a 
paper,  and  cover  it  over  with  several  others.  With  this  pow- 
der you  may  perfume  such  cordials  as  require  it.  The  dose 
is  a  pugil,  taken  with  the  point  of  a  knife,  shake  lightly  in  it. 
You  may  however  increase  or  diminish  this  dose,  according 
to  your  liking* 

334.     Strong  anise-seed  water  >  or  animated  brandy. 

Put  half  a  pint  of  essential  spirit  of  anise-seed  into  three 
quarts  of  the  best  genuine  brandy,  with  one  of  boiled  water. 
If  you  want  it  sweet,  add  clarified  sugar.  Strain  all  through 
the  jelly-bag,  Gfc.  l$c. 

335.     An  exceeding  good  Ratafia. 

On  a  quart  of  good  brandy  put  half  a  pint  of  cherry  juice* 
as  much  of  currants,  and  the  same  of  raspberries.  Add  a 
few  cloves,  a  pugil  of  white  pepper  in  grain,  two  of  green 
coriander,  and  a  stick  or  two  of  cinnamon.  Then  pound  the 
stones  of  the  cherries,  and  put  them  in,  wood  and  altogether. 
Add  a  few  kernels  of  apricots,  thirty  or  forty  are  sufficient. 
Stop  well  the  pitcher,  which  must  be  a  new  one,  after  all 
these  ingredients  are  in,  let  the  whole  infuse  a  couple  of 
months  in  the  shade,  shaking  twice  or  thrice  during  that 
space  of  time,  at  the  end  of  which  run  the  liquor  through 
the  flannel  bag,  and  next  through  the  filtering  paper,  then 
bottle  and  stop  it  well  for  use. 

Note.  In  increasing  in  due  proportion  the  quantity  of  the 
brandy,  and  the  doses  of  each  of  the  ingredients  prescribed, 
you  may  make  what  quantity  you  like  of  this  Ratifia. 

336.     An  essence  of  ambergris. 

Pound  one  drachm  of  ambergris,  and  put  it  on  a  pint  of  good 
Spirit  of  wine,  in  a  thick  and  green  glass  bottle.  Add  to  it 
half  a  drachm  of  musk  in  bladder,  cut  very  small.  Set  this 
bottle  in  the  full  south  sun,  on  gravel,  during  the  dog-days, 
taking  it  off  every  night,  and  during  rainy  weather.  Stir  and 


100          SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

shake  well  the  bottle  and  its  contents,  two  or  three  times  a 
day,  when  the  sun  strikes  on  the  bottle,  that  the  amber  may 
diffuse  in  the  liquor,  asd  the  essence  is  made.  Deeant,  bot- 
tle, and  stop  it  for  use. 

337.     A  smelling  water. 

1.  Put  in  any  quantity  of  brandy,  benjamin,  and  storax 
calamite,  equal  parts  ;    a  little  cloves  and  mace,  coarsely 
bruised.    Set  this  a  digesting  for  five  or  six  days  on  warm 
ashes.    When  the  liquor  is  tinged  of  a  fine  red,  decant  it 
gently  from  the  residue  in  a  glass  bottle,  and  throw  in  a  few 
grains  of  musk,  before  stopping  it. 

2.  TLiee  drops  of  this  smelling  water  in  a  common  glass 
tumbler  of  water,  give  it  a  very  agreeable  fragrance. 

£.  With  the  ground,  or  residue,  you  may  make  lozenges, 
by  adding  a  little  gum-adragrant  to  bind  them. 

338.     A  receipt  1o  compose  one  pint  of  rossolisj  with 
•which  you  can  make  forty. 

1.  Take  two  ounces  of  galanga  5  half  a  one  of  cinnamon  ; 
28  much  cloves;  one  of  coriander  ;  a  penny-worth  of  green 
anise-seed;  half  an  ounce  of  ginger ;  two  drachms  of  mace, 
and  two  of  Florentine  orrice.    Bruise  all,  and  put  it  to  in- 
fuse with  three  pints  of  the  best  brandy,  in  a  matrass  with  a 
long  neck.    Adapt  it  to  the  receiver,  and  lute  well  all  the 
joints,  both  of  the  receiver,  and  the  bolthead,  with  paper  and 
starch. 

2.  Twelve  hours  after  it  has  been  a  digesting,  distil  the 
liquor  by  the  heat  of  a  very  .gentle  balneum  m&rt/ey  till  you 
have  got  about  one  quart  of  distilled  spirit.    Then  unlute 
the  receiver  and  keep  the  liquor. 

3.  You  may  adapt  another  receiver,  or  the  same  again,  af- 
ter being  emptied,  lute  it,  and  continue  to  distil  as  before. 
But  what  will  come  will  be  infinitely  weaker,  though  per- 
haps not  altogether  very  indifferent. 

339.     Burnt  wine. 

Put  a  quart  of  good  Burgundy  in  an  open  pan,  with  a  pound 
of  sugar,  two  leaves  of  mace,  a  little  long  pepper,  a  dozen  of 
cloves,  two  or  three  tops  of  rosemary  branches,  and  two  bay- 
leaves.  Place  that  in  the  middle  of  a  wheel-fire  of  blasting 
charcoal.  When  the  wine  begins  to  be  hot,  set  the  fire  to  it 
with  a  bit  of  paper,  and  thus  let  it  kindle  and  blaze  till  it 
goes  out  of  itself.  This  wine  is  drank  quite  hot,  and  it  is  an 
admirable  drink,  especially  when  the  weather  is  very  cold* 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.          10* 

340.     An  admirable  oil  of  sugar. 

Rinse  a  matrass  with  vinegar,  put  in  it  some  dry  powder 
sugar,  or  lump  sugar  pulverised.  Keep  that  matrass  on  hot 
ashes,  turning  and  whirling  it  round  and  flat  ways,  by  means 
of  the  neck  of  the  matrass  which  you  hold  in  your  hands  with 
a  cloth,  and  stop  it  not.  The  effect  is  such,  the  heat  ecca* 
sions  the  vapours  to  rise  about  the  matrass,  which  by  turning 
and  whirling  it,  as  above-mentioned,  makes  the  sugar  which 
is  in  it  resoak  and  imbibe  them  again.  This  operation  dis- 
solves the  sugar,  and  reduces  it  into  a  sort  of  oil. 

341.     Another  oil  of  sugar  >  'without  the  assistance  of  fire. 

Take  a  lemon,  which  hollow  and  carve  out  inwardly,  tak- 
ing out  all  the  pulp  as  skilfully  as  possible.  Then  fill  it  up 
with  sugar  candy  in  powder,  and  suspend  it  in  a  very  damp 
cellar,  with  a  bason  under  it.  There  will  drop  an  exceeding 
good  oil,  which  is  endowed  with  the  most  admirable  quali- 
ties for  consumptive  people,  or  them  who  are  affected  with 
a  difficulty  of  breathing. 

Note.  A  little  of  that  oil  in  liquors  gives  to  any  one  of 
them,  to  which  it  is  added,  a  very  fine  flavour. 

342.     An  admirable  essence  of  red  sugar. 

1 .  Pulverise  five  pounds  of  the  best  double  refined,  or  roy- 
al sugar ;  which  done,  put  along  with  eight  ounces  of  bran- 
dy in  a  large  matrass,  over  a  sand  bath.    Distil  some  part,  of 
this  first,  on  a  slow  fire,  to  avoid  burning  the  sugar.   Re-put 
the  distilled  liquor  over  the  sugar  again  in  the  matrass.    Con- 
tinue to  distil  and  pour  the  liquor  again  in  the  matrass  over 
the  sugar,  till  the  sugar  becomes  red,  which  will  happen  at 
the  seventh  or  eighth  iteration  of  distillation. 

2.  Now  distil  out  all  the  brandy,  and  on  the  remaining 
sugar  pour  common  water,  which  distil  also,  then  add  some 
more,  continuing  so  to  do,  till  you  have  drawn  out  all  the 
tincture  of  the  red  sugar. 

3.  Take  next  all  these  red  waters,  and  run  them  through 
the  filtering  paper,  then  distil  the  phlegm  on  a  gentle  fire  to 
siccity  (or  dryness).    Put  again  this  distilled  phlegm  on  the 
residue :  which  place  all  together  in  a  cold  cellar.    You  will 
find  some  red  chrystais,  which  pick  up,  and  when  dry,  pul- 
verise ;  then  pour  brandy  over  to  dissolve.    This  admirable 
quintessence  of  sugar  has  the  virtue  of  preserving  the  radical 
moistness  of  the  inside,  and  our  health. 


los          SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

34-2*     How  to  extract  the  essential  oil  from  any  flower. 

Take  any  flower  you  like,  which  stratify  with  common 
sea  salt  in  a  clean  earthen  glazed  pot.  When  thus  filled  to 
the  top,  cover  it  well,  and  carry  it  to  the  cellar.  Forty  days 
after  put  a  crape  over  a  pan,  and  empty  all  on  it  to  strain  the 
essence  from  the  flowers  by  pressure.  Bottle  that  essence, 
and  expose  it  four  or  five  weeks  in  the  sun,  and  dew  of  the 
evening  to  purify.  One  single  drop  of  that  essence  is  enough 
to -scent  a  whole  quart  of  liquor. 

344.     Essence  of  jessamine^  rosest  and  ether  flowers. 

1.  Take  roses  of  a  good  colour,  and  fresh  gathered.    Pick 
all  the  leaves,  which  expand  in  the  shade  on  a  paper.    For 
two  or  three  days,  during  which  you  are  to  leave  them  there, 
asperse  them,  morning  and  evening,  with  rose  water,  stirring 
them  each  time. 

2.  When  this  has  been  performed,  put  them  in  a  glass, 
or  varnished  vessel,  which  stop  as  perfectly  as  you  can,  and 
place  in  the  hottest  horse-dung,  which  renew  every  five  days. 
A  fortnight  after  this,  place  the  vessel  in  a  balneo  marix, 
adapting  a  bolt-head  to  it  and  a  receiver,  and  lute  all  well. 
Distil  the  water,  on  which  you  observe  the  essence  swimming. 
This  you  must  divide  by  means  of  a  wick,  or  filtering  paper, 
Put  the  essence  in  a  glass  phial  well  stopped. 

345.     To  draw  the  essential  oil  of  roses. 

Pound  in  a  mortar  thirty  pounds  of  leaves  of  roses,  with 
three  pounds  of  common  decrepitated  salt ;  then  put  all  in 
a  pot  well  luted,  which  set  in  a  cool  place.  Fifteen  or  eigh- 
teen days  after,  moisten  well  this  matter  with  common  wa- 
ter, stirring  it  till  reduced  into  a  pap.  Then  put  it  in  an  al- 
embic with  its  refrigerator.  Make  a  smart  fire,  which  will 
send  first  the  water,  next  the  oil,  susceptible  of  congealing  by 
cold,  and  liquifying  again  by  heat.  One  drop  of  that  oil 
gives  more  smell  a  hundred  times  than  the  distilled  water 
from  the  same  roses* 

346.     Essence  of  capon  and  other  fowls. 

Cure  the  inside  of  any  fowl,  by  taking  away  all  the  entrails. 
Fill  it  with  lump  sugar,  pulverised  and  mixed  with  four  oun- 
ces of  damask  raisins,  perfectly  stoned.  Sew  the  fowl  up 
again,  and  put  it  in  a  pipkin,  which  cover  carefully  with  its 
lid,  and  Jute  all  round  with  paste.  Place  this  pot  in  an  ov- 
en, when  the  bread  goes  in,  and  take  it  out  along  with  it. 
Then  uncover  it,  and  strain  the  liquor  through  a  cloth,  with 
expression  of  the  animal.  This  essence  is  the  greatest  restor- 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  los 

ative  for  old  or  enervated  people  ;  likewise  to  hasten  the  re- 
covery of  health  after  long  illness.  Take  two  large  table 
spoonfuls  early  in  the  morning  fasting,  and  as  much  at  night 
after  supper. 

347.     Virginal  milk. 

l.  Take  one  ounce  and  a  half  of  benjamin  ;  storax  as  much, 
and  one  of  eastern  white  balm.  Put  all  in  a  thick  glass  phi- 
al, with  three  half  pints  of  spirit  of  wine,  which  pour  over. 
Put  this  in  digestion  over  hoc  ashes,  till  the  spirit  of  wine  ap- 
pears of  a  fine  red  colour. 

2?.  To  use  it,  put  four  drops  in  half  a  pint  of  water,  and  it 
instantly  turns  as  white  as  milk. 

S.  Exteriorly  used,  it  whitens  the  skin,  if  you  wash  with 
it ;  it  has  likewise  the  same  effect  upon  teeth,  by  rinsing  the 
mouth,  and  rubbing  them  with  it.  Interiorly  taken,  it  cures 
the  heats  and  burning  of  the  extinction  of  the  voice. 

34-8.     To  make  mutton- suet  can dies 3  in  imitation  of 'wax 
candles. 

1 .  Throw  quick-lime  in  melted  mutton  suet ;  the  lime  wiH 
fall  to  the  bottom,  and  carry  along  with  it  all  the  nastiness 
of  the  suet,  so  as  to  leave  it  as  pure  and  fine  as  wax  itself. 

2.  Now  if  with  one  part  of  that  suet,  you  mix  three  of  real 
wax,  you  will  never  be  able  to  find  out  the  mixture,  not  ev- 
en in  the  moulding  and  casting  wax  for  figures  or  ornamentSo 

349.     To  make  soap. 

The  white,  or  as  it  is  called,  the  Geno  soap,  is  made  with 
wood  ashes,  Alicant  kali,  lime  and  olive  oil.  The  black  is 
made  of  the  same  materials,  with  this  exception,  that  it  is 
made  with  the  faces  and  tartar  of  the  oils.  The  marble  is 
made  with  Alicant  kali,  bourde,  and  lime ;  and  when  it  is  al- 
most done,  they  take  some  red  earth,  which  they  call  cinna- 
bar, with  copperas ;  they  boil  the^e  together  and  throw  it  in 
the  copper  where  the  soap  is.  It  occasions  a  blue  marbling, 
as  long  as  the  copperas  keeps  the  better  of  the  two  ingredi- 
ents ;  but  as  soon  as  the  cinnabar  has  at  last  absorbed  the  vit- 
riol, this  blue  hue  subsides  intirely,  and  the  red  alone  predom- 
inates. Therefore  to  form  the  soap,  make  different  lyes  with 
all  these  sorts  of  matters,  and  when  they  are  sufficiently  char- 
ged  (which  beginners  know  by  their  carrying  an  egg  swim- 
ming, without  its  sinking  to  the  bottom,  and  experienced 
soap-boilers  are  judges  of  by  dejustation,  and  the  time  they 
have  been  at  work)  they  put  all  these  lyes  in  proper  coppers, 
«uid  pour  at  the  same  time  in  Provence  and  Languedoc9  oil  of 


104          SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

olive;  in  Germany,  grease ;  and  in  England,  oil  offish*  Thets 
boil  all  together  with  a  great  blasting  fire ;  and  eighteen  or 
twenty  days  afterwards  these  oils  have  so  well  aspired  all  the 
salts  of  the  lye,  that  this  is  left  quite  flat  and  untasty.  Then 
by  the  cocks  which  are  at  the  bottom  of  the  coppers,  the 
water  OK  lye  is  let  out  and  the  lump  of  soap  taken  out  and 
placed  to  dry  in  houses  built  on  purpose,  to  make  it  take  a 
sufficient  consistence. 

350.     To  prevent  any  thing  burning  in  the  fire* 

Pound  into  powder  cherry-tree  gum  and  alum  in  equai 
quantities,  and  imbibe  that  powder  with  strong  wine-vinegar, 
which  leave  thus  a  digesting  on  warm  ashes,  for  the  space  of 
twenty-four  hours.  If  with  this  composition  you  rub  any 
thing  and  throw  it  in  the  fire,  it  will  not  be  consumed  by  it, 

351.  To  prevent  burning  en? s  fingers  in  melted  lead. 

Take  two  ounces  of  bol  armenlan,  one  of  quicksilver,  half 
a  one  of  camphire,  and  two  of  brandy.  Mix  all  together 
with  a  pestle  in  a  brass  mortar,  and  rub  your  hands  with  this 
composition,  before  steeping  them  into  a  pot  of  melted  lead, 
and  this  will  have  no  effect  upon  them. 

352.  Afire  which  cannot  be  extinguished  by  water.' 

Take  five  ounces  of  gun-powder  ;  saltpetre  three ;  brim-" 
stone,  two,  camphire.  rosin,  and  turpentine  one  of  each.  Mix 
all  together,  and  imbibe  it  with  rectified  oil  of  rosiny  fir-tree. 
If  you  fill  balls  with  this  composition  and  throw  them  thirty 
feet  deep  in  the  water,  they  will  burn  still,  even  if  you  cover 
them  intirely  with  mould. 

353.     To  kill  all  sorts  of  worms  in  cattle. 

Take  saixn,  chop  it  small,  and  beat  it  with  fresh  butter, 
make  it  in  small  balls,  and  give  it  to  the  beast  in  a  propor- 
tionable quantity.  Sweet  wort  and  a  little  black  soap  mixed 
together  as  a  drink,  niaketh  all  sorts  of  beasts  void  the  worms. 

354%     To  kill  maggots  in  sheep. 

Take  goose  grease,  tar  and  brimstone,  mix  them  together 
OR  the  fire,  and  when  cold  anoint  the  troubled  places  there- 
'with. 

355.     How  to  colour  any  sort  of  liquor. 

Bruise  into  a  coarse  powder  some  santalum  rubrum,  which 
put  into  a  bottle  with  a  di^cretionable  quantity  of  spirit  of 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  lOS 

wine  poured  over  it.  Jn  five  or  six  hours  time  the  tincture 
will  be  very  high  ;  therefore  it  will  be  fit  to  give  a  colour  to 
any  liquor  you  chuse,  by  pouring  some  of  it  into  the  liquor, 
and  shaking  it  till  you  find  it  is  coloured  to  your  liking. 

356.  A  ladies  fine  rouge  not  hurtful  to  their  skin  like 
other  rouges,  •wherein  there  always  enters  a  mixture  of 
lead  or  quicksilver. 

The  above  preparation  of  tantalum  rubrum,  modified  with 
common  water  to  take  off  the  strength  of  the  spirit  of  wine 
and  an  addition  of  one  clove,  a  little  civet,  a  little  cinnamon, 
and  the  bulk  of  a  filbert  of  alum,  per  quarter  of  a  pint  of 
liquor,  with  safety, 

357.     A  fine  smelling  water,  at  a  small  expense. 

Take  two  quarts  of  rose-water  drawn  by  distillation  in 
balneo  mari<ey  which  put  in  a  large  bottle  filled  with  fresh  rose 
leaves.  Stop  this  bottle  well  with  a  cork  and  wax,  then  ex- 
pose it  to  the  sun,  for  a  month,  or  six  weeks  :  afterwards  de- 
cant the  liquor  into  another  bottle,  in  which,  for  every  one 
quart  of  liquor,  add  two  grains  weight  of  oiiental  musk,  and 
cork  it  well*  This  water  is  of  a  charming  fragrancy,  and 
lasts  a  great  while.  It  communicates  the  odour  to  them  you 
touch  after  having  rubbed  y9ur  hands  with  it. 

358.     To  make  an  imitation  of  coffee. 

1,  Take  any  quantity  of  horse  beans,  which  put  into  a  pan 
to  roast  over  the  fire  till  they  begin  to  blacken.    Then  take 
a  little  honey  with  the  point  of  a  knife  and  put  it  among  the 
beans,  turning  them  well  with  it,  till  soaked  in  the  beans,  re- 
peating the  same  process  till  they  are  of  a  deep  brown  ches- 
nut  colour.    Now  take  them  from  the  fire,  and  while  they 
are  quite  burning  hot,  put  for  every  J&rge  hand%l  of  beans, 
half  an  ounce  of  casi  mundata,  with  which  imbibe  them  well 
by  stirring  and  shaking  in  the  pan  as  much  as  you  can,  and 
they  are  done. 

2.  These  grind  in  the  mill  and  make  coffee  of,  it  will  have 
the  same  taste  and  flavour  as  the  true  Moca-  coffee,  so  as  not 
to  be  distinguished  from  it  by  the  greatest  connoisseurs. 

Note.  This  coffee  may  be  drank  either  thick  or  clear,  with 
sugar  as  usual. 

359.     Directions  for  preparing  the  true  coffee. 

1.  True  coffee  must  be  roasted  in  an  iron  pan,  or  in  a  gla- 
zed  earthen  pan,  over  a  clear  charcoal  fire  without  flames. — 


loo  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

Turn  it  with  a  stick  while  it  is  on  the  fire,  to  make  each  grain 
roast  more  regularly  and  equally.  It  is  well  roasted  when  it 
is  all  of  a  dark  brown. 

2.  There  is  a  much  better  method  of  roasting  it,  by  means 
of  a  certain  iron  drum  made  in  the  form  of  a  ladies  muff- 
box,  with  a  handle  at  one  end,  an  iron  peg  at  the  other,  and 
a  latch  door  in  the  middle.    By  this  door  you  introduce  the 
coffee,  which  you  fasten  in  by  means  of  the  latch.    Then 
propping  it  on  the  top  of  a  chaffingdish  made  on  purpose,  in 
which  there  is  a  charcoal  fire,  you  roast  the  coffee  by  turning 
the  drum  over  it  with  the  abovementioned  handle ;  and  thus 
the  coffee  roasts  in  the  most  regular  manner. 

3.  When  the  coffee  is  roasted,  grind  it,  keep  it  closely  con- 
fined in  leaden  boxes,  with  a  screwing  lid.    However,  it  is 
still  much  preferable  to  grind  no  more  at  a  time  than  what 
one  wants  to  use  at  once. 

4.  The  liquor  is  made  by  putting  one  ounce  of  that  pow« 
<3er  to  three  quarters  of  a  pint  of  boiling  water  to  make  three 
full  dishes.    And,  after  an  infusion  often  minutes,  during 
which  it  is  kept  boiling,  the  coffee  is  fit  for  drinking. 

360.     A  receipt  for  making  chocolate. 

1.  Dissolve  in  a  copper  pan  some  pulverised  royal  lump  su- 
gar, with  a  little  orange  water.     When  the  sugar  is  turned 
into  a  syrup  throw  in  the  cocoa,  the  vanelloe,  the  cinnamon. 
Mexican-pepper,  and  cloves,  all,  and  every  one  of  which, 
ought  to  have  been  first  reduced  into  an  impalpable  powder. 
Stir  all  well  while  it  boils ;  and  when  you  judge  it  to  be  suf- 
ficiently done,  pour  the  paste  on  a  very  smooth  and  polished 
table,  that  you  may  roll  it,  and  give  it  whatever  form  and 
shape  you  like. 

2.  To  prepare  it  with  either  milk  or  water,  in  which,  when 
boiling  hot,  you  first  dissolve  it,  then,  with  a  box-mill,  with 
a  long  handle,  you  mill  it  to  froth  in  the  pot  in  which  it  is 
making,  anflfcpour  it  afterwards  in  cups  to  drink* 

361.     Preserved  nuts. 

1.  Gather  the  nuts,  before  the  woody  shell  begins  to  har. 
den  under  the  green  rind.     Cut  open  and  throw  off  that 
green  rind  ;  and  throw  immediately  the  nut  into  a  pail  of 
cold  water,  to  prevent  its  blaekening.    Boil  them  four  or 
five  minutes,  and  throw  the  first  first  water  away  becaine  it 
is  bitter.  Put  fresh  water,  which  boil  again,  and  throw  away 
as  the  first,  and  repeat  this  operation  a  third  and  fourth  time, 
if  required,  to  take  off  all  the  bitterness  of  the  nuts. 

2.  After  they  have  boiled  in  their  last  water,  take  them 
out,  and  throw  them  into  cold  water,  for  fear  they  sho'illd 

1 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  10  7 

turn  black  still.  From  this  water  change,  them  again  into 
another,  in  which  put  them  one  by  one,  as  you  take  them 
from  the  first,  a. id  pressing  them  between  your  fingers  to 
purge  them  from  all  the  bitter  water  they  might  still  con- 
tain. 

3.  Now  make  a  syrup  as  usual,  in  which  boil  some  lemon 
peels  for  the  sake  of  fragrancy  only,  taking  them  all  out 
after  a  few  minutes  of  their  being  in,  then  put  the  nuts  in 
their  stead,  which  leave  to  boil  in  the  syrup  as  long  as  you 
think  proper. 

362.  How  to  make  syrups  with  all  sorts  of  flowers, 
which  shall  be  possessed  of  all  their  taste,  flavour  and 
fragrancy* 

Heat  in  a  pan  about  half  a  pint  of  water,  then  put  in  it 
sugar  in  the  proportion  to  the  quantity  of  flowers  you  may 
have  ;  boil,  skim  and  thicken  it  to  a  proper  consistence.—- 
When  done,  put  your  flowers  in  a  glazed  vessel,  and  cover  it 
over  with  linen,  through  which  pouring  pouring  the  syrup, 
you  strain  this  upon  the  flowers.  These  being  thereby  quite 
deadened,  put  alJ  together  again  in  the  same  piece  of  linen, 
and  strain  it  again  in  another  vessel,  squeezing  well  the  flow- 
ers. Then  bottle  this  syrup,  and  keep  it  for  use  well  stopped. 
Whenever  you  want  to  give  the  flavour  of  those  flowers  to 
any  liquor,  sweeten  it  with  this  syrup.  To  every  four  ounces 
of 'flowers,  the  quantity  of  sugar  requisite  to  make  that  sy- 
rup is  generally  one  pound  and  a  half.  Observe  that  all  flow- 
ers must  be  well  picked  of  all  their  cups,  staminas,  &c.  and 
nothing  but  their  leaves  made  use  of. 

363.     Raspberry  syrup. 

Mash  the  raspberries,  and  dilute  them  with  a  moderate  ad- 
dition of  water,  then  strain  them  to  divide  the  thick  from  the 
clear  part.  To  every  quart  of  this  clear  liquor  put  one 
pound  of  lump  sugar  pulverised,  boil  all  together  on  the  fire 
in  the  preserving  pan.  Skim  and  clarify  carefully  the  sugar, 
with  the  white  of  an  egg  beaten  in  water.  When  the  syrup 
is  come  to  its  right  degree  (which  you  may  know  by  throw- 
ing a  drop  of  it  in  a  glass  of  water,  if  the  drop  sinks  whole 
to  the  bottom,  and  fixes  itself  there,  without  running  out 
along  with  the  water,  when  you  throw  this  away)  take  it  off 
the  fire,  and  let  it  cool  for  bottling. 

364?.     Apricot  syrup. 

Cut  in  small  bits  six  pounds  of  very  ripe  apricots,  which 
boil  in  a  gallon  of  water  till  they  are  reduced  to  a  pulp.  Let 
them  cool,  then  squeeze  them  through  a  sieve.  Now  straia 


103  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

again  this  liquor  through  the  jelly-bag  and  it  in  the  preserving 
pan  on  the  fire,  with  four  pounds  of  sugar.  Skim,  clarify, 
and  boil  the  whole  to  a  syrup,  which  try  as  above  directed  in 
a  glass  of  water ;  and,  when  done,  let  it  cool,  and  bottle  it 
to  keep  for  use. 

365.     A  general  manner  of  making  syrups^  applicable  to 
almost  all  sorts  of  fruit  s>  especially  currents. 

1.  Pick  a  quantity  of  red  currants  of  all  their  stalks,  and 
squeeze  them  through  a  sieve  in  a  commodious  vessel.  Carry 
this  vessel  to  the  cellar,  placing  it  on  a  stool  or  any  suspending 
shelf  from  the  ground :  and,  after  that  juice  shall  have  worked 
three  or  four  days,  strain  it  through  a  sieve  in  another  vessel, 
then  through  the  flannel  bag  to  get  it  as  clear  as  possible. 

2.  Now  for  every  two  quarts  of  such  liquor,  have  four 
pounds  of  sugar,  which  put  in  a  preserving  pan,  and  melt 
over  the  fire,  with  a  little  common  water  to  help  the  dissolu- 
tion of  it.  Boil  it  thus  to  the  consistence  of  caramel,  without 
burning  it ;  and,  when  at  that  degree,  pour  through  the  holes 
of  the  skimmer  the  measured  liquor,  which  must  boil  also 
to  a  perfect  syrup  according  to  the  afore-prescribed  trials. — 
All  this  being  well  executed,  take  it  off,  let  it  cool,  and  bot- 
tle it  for  use. 

Note.  All  sorts  of  syrups,  such  as  cherries,  raspberries,  and 
others,  may  be  made  in  the  same  manner,  with  this  difference 
only,  that  they  are  not  to  be  put  to  work  in  the  cellar,  but 
employed  directly  as  soon  as  the  juice  is  squeezed  out  of  the 
fruits. 

366.     To  make  liquid  current  jam. 

Pick  four  pounds  of  currants,  and  clear  them  of  their 
stalks.  Put  aside  two  pounds  and  a  half  of  them  in  a  dishf 
and  squeeze  the  other  one  pound  a  half  remaining.  Now, 
in  a  preserving  pan,  dissolve  four  pounds  of  sugar  ;  and,  when 
come  to  a  syrup,  put  in  the  two  pounds  and  a  half  of  whole 
currants,  along  with  one  pound  and  a  half  of  juice  of  the 
same,  and  boil  all  together  to  perfection. 

367.     To  preserve  apricots. 

Chuse  a  quantity  of  apricots,  just  turned,  butnot  ripe,  and 
the  fruit  of  which  has  still  all  its  hardness  and  greenness. — 
Take  out  the  stones,  by  means  of  a  small  bladed  knife,  which 
introduce  at  the  point  of  the  apricot,  till  you  feel  the  stone, 
and  then  push  to  make  it  come  out  at  the  tail.  When  you 
have  thus  prepared  four  pounds  of  them  (weighed  after  ston- 
ing) have  a  large  wide  pan  of  boiling  water  on  the  fire,  in 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRABES.  10S> 

-which  throw  them  in  order  to  branch  them,  taking  great 
•care  that  they  should  not  spot  in  the  water.  When  blanched, 
take  them  out  with  a  skimmer,  and  set  them  a-draining  on  a 
sieve.  Then  boil  ^and  clarify  four  pounds  of  sugar  into  a 
syrup.  When  done,  take  it  out,  and  put  in  your  apricots 
softly,  set  them  again  on  the  fire,  and  give  them  two  or  three 
bubbles  ;  take  the  pan  from  the  fire  and  let  them  cool.  'By 
this  means  they  throw  off  their  superfluous  moi-tness.and. 
take  the  sugar.  -When  cold,  take  them  from  the  sugar  with 
a  skimmer,  and  set  them  a=draining,  while  you  put  the  syrup 
on  the  fire  to  boil.  ,When  drained,  put  them  again  in  the 
foiling  syrup,  and  give  them  live  or  six  bubbles  more,  aftei 
which  let  them  rest  till  the  next  day,  put  them  again  on  the 
fire,  and  finish  them.  They  will  be  what  is  called  Liquid,  and 
you  may  pot  them  in  that  state. 

366.     Hew  to  make  a  dry  preserve  of  them. 

Proceed  as  above-directed,  till  the  time  they  are  fit<for  be« 
ing  potted  in  liquid,  instead  of  which  take  them  again  out  of 
the  syrup,  and  set  them  a-draining,  then  range  them  on  slates 
at  regular  distance  5  so  th^t  they  may  not  touch  one  another, 
.When  thus  prepared,  powder  on  them,  through  a  silk  sieve, 
some  of  the  finest  loaf  sugar  pul'veiised,  and  put  them  in  the 
stove  to  dry.  When  dry  on  that  side,  take  them  out  from  the 
slites,  and  turning  them  the  other  side  upwards  on  a  sieve, 
or  seme  sort  of  small  Jight  willow  grates  made  on  purpose^ 
powder  them  with  sugar  as  before,  and  when  equally  dried 
and  cooted,  you  may  put  them  in  boxes  with  white  brown 
paper. 

Note.  All  sorts  of  plums  admit  of  the  same  mode  of  oper*- 
ation,  to  make  them  into  dry  or  liquid  preserves. 

369.     Zs  make  the  Gotignac  liquid. 

Pare  the  quince?,  and  cut  them  small,  after  having  taken 
away  the  cores  and  kernels.  Put  a  gallon  of  water  a  boiling, 
then  put  them  in,  and  let  them  boii,  till  reduced  almost  to  a 
pulp.  Strain  all  through  a  cloth,,  and  squeeze  it -well  into  a 
bowl.  Then  set  it  on  the  fire  in  the  preserving  pan,  with 
four  pounds  of  sugar,  and  boil  it  gently,  till  taking  some 
with  the  skimmer,  and  letting  it  fall  on  a  plate,  it  shall  rise 
up  like  a  jelly,  push  on  the  fire,  and  in  five  minutes  after  the 
Coiignac  is  done. 

Note.  If  you  put  the  peel  and  kernels  into  a  knot,  and 
boil  them  in  that  manner  in  the  water,  the  iatn  will  sooner 
-fee  red, 

I, 


t 10  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES, 

3?0.     To  make  dry  portable  cherries. 

Prepare  four  pound  of  fine  Kentish  cherries,  by  depriving 
them  of  their  stones  and  tails.  Then  have  one  pound  of 
sugar,  which  put  a  dissolving  on  the  fire  in  a  pint  of  water. 
When  thij  begins  to  boiU  throw  your  cherries  quickly  in, 
and  make  them  boil  thus  in  the  sugar  till  the  syrup  begins  to 
thicken.  When  they  are  sufficiently  done,  take  them  from 
the  fire,  and  let  it  cool,  after  which  put  them  a  draining  in  a 
sieve ;  then  range  them  on  slates,  and  powiter  through  a 
sieve  sorne  sugar  all  over  them,  and  place  them  in  the  stove, 
or  for  want  of  this  conveniency  in  a  baker's  oven,  after  th« 
bread  has  been  taken  out.  When  dry  on  one  side  turn  them 
on  the  other,  and  powder  them  over  with  sugar  as  you  did 
before  ;  dry  them  in  the  same  manner,  and  box  them  \vhen 
cold,  to  keep  for  use.  .  \\ 

Note.  Plums  may  be  tione  in  the  same  manner.  This 
sort  of  preserve  is  very  agreeable,  and  may  be  carried  any 
\vLere. 

S  7 1 .      Tc  make  an  apricot^  or  peach  jam. 

1.  Chuse  the  ripest  apricots,  which  clean  of  all  hard  knobs,, 
f.pots  and  rotted  parts.     Cut  them  in  small  bits  in  a  preserv- 
ing pan,  which  have  previously  weighed.     If  you  have  put 
ibur  pounds  of  apricots  in  it,  reduce  them  by  boiling  over  2 
gentle  fire  to  two  pounds  only,  which  you  must  find  out  by 
weighing  pan  and  fruit  together,  now  and  then  till  you  find 
your  right  weight.     When  this  is  the  case,  put  among  your 

^apricots  thus  reduced  to  one  half,  two  pounds  of  lump  sugar 
'pulverised,  and  mix  all  well  for  the  space  of  five  minutes  over 
the  fire,  then  take  all  off,  let  it  cool,  and  pot. 

2,  This  composition  you  may  put  into  paste,  on  slates  or 
in  tin  moulds.    There   is  not  more  exquisite  eating.     You 
may  also,  with  two  or  three  roasted,  or  baked  app'es,  mix 
two  spoonfuls  of  this  marma'ade,  and  make  excessive  nice 
tarts  with  it,  or  again,  with  pears  baked  under  ashes. 

372.     An  apricot  jatny  after  the  French  way. 

1.  Chuse  such  ripe  apricots  as  are  fit  to  eat.    Peel  their 
skin  off  very  neatly,  and  give  them  a  bubble  or  two  in  boil- 
ing water,  so  as  not  to  have  them  dissolve  in  the  water,  and 
put  them  draining.  When  done,  mash  them  through  a  sieve, 
and  let  them  rest  a  time  to  evaporate  their  superfluous  moist- 
»ess. 

2.  While  this  is  doing,  make  a  syrup  with  as  many  pounds 
*e>f  sugar  as  you  have  fruit,  and  take  it  off  the  fire  j  when. the 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  1 1  i 

syrup  is  cooled,  put  your  fruit  in,  which  stir  well  with  the 
spatula,  then  put  all  again  on  the  fine  for  ten  minutes,  in  or- 
der to  make  the  fruit  take  well  the  sugar.  When  the  jam- 
is  well  done,  fine  and  transparent,  pot  it. 

373.     To  make  raspberry^  currant  and  cherry  jam. 

All  these  fruits  mu  t  be  squeezed  through  a  sieve,  then, 
clarify  the  sugar,  and  throw  in  the  juice,  bring  to  perfection? 
afterwards  as-directed  in-the  last  receipt. 

374.     To  make  a  good  currant  jelly. 

Have  four  pounds  of  currant?,  after  picking.  Then  dis- 
solve in  water  four  pounds  of  loaf  sugar,  when  make  into  a 
pretty  strong  syrup.  Now  put  the  currants  in,  and  boil  so  as  to 
have  them  covered  with  the  bubble?.  Six  minutes  after  such 
a  boiling^  take  the  pan  from  the  fire,  and  pour  the  contents 
in  a  sieve  to  strain  off  all  the  liquid.  Put  this  liquor  again  in 
the  pan  and  boil  it,  till  taking  a  drop  with  the  skimmer,  and 
pouring  it  on  a  plate,  it  congeals  as  it  cools.  Then  it  is  fit 
to  pot. 

Th^y  who  want  to  spare  the  sugar,  and  have  a  great  deal 
of  jeilyat  a  smaller  expense,  maj  employ  four  pounds  only 
of  sugar  to  six  of  currants,  after  picking  and  proceed  as 
above.  They  must  however  observe  to  do  thejeily  rather 
more  than  in  the  preceding  case,  when  the  fruit  and  sugar 
are  pound  for  pound. 

375.     To  make  an  apple  jelly* 

1.  Cut  in  small  bits  a  dozen  of  gold  rennets,  and  put  them  i;i 
lh^  preserving  pan,  with  three  quarts  of  water,  which   boil 
to  ihte  reduction  of  one  half.     Throw  all  In  a  cloth  to  strain 
it  through,  and  draw  all  the  juice  from  the  apples.     Then  to 
tiiis,  put  four  pounds  of  sugar,  which  boil  to  a  jelly. 

2.  To  give  apointeto  that  jelly,  you  may  add  the  juice  of 
one  icipon,  and  even  the  rasping  of  one  half  of  its  rin$. 

376.     A  conserve  with  rasping  of  Portugal  oranges  and 
.    lemons^  conjointly  or  separately. 

Put  your  raspings  to  dry  in  a  plate.  Prepare  some  sugar 
into  a  syrup,  not  quite  so  strong  as  recommended  in  the  last 
receipt,  ^ake  this  from  the  fire,  and  stir  it  with  a  spoon, 
round  the  pan  and  in  the  middle;  then  .throw  in  your  rasp- 
ings of  lemon  or  orange,  or  both  together,  and  having  stirred 
•  el],  put  it  IL  the  moulds  and  make  your  drops,. 


212  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES; 


377.  21?  whiten  cherries^  currants^  raspberries^ 

strawberries  and  such  like  fruit, 

Beat  one  or  two  whites  of  eggs  with  orange  flower-waters  t 
then  steep  your  fruit  in,  and  roll  it  afterwards  in  a  diih 
wherein  there  i?  lump  sugar  pulverised  and  sifted  very  fine. — 
When  it  is  well  covered  over  with  sugar,  put  it  on  a  sheet 
of  paper,  and  set  it  in  the  sun  to  dry.  You  may  thus  ice  ail 
sort:)  of  fruits  susceptible  of  icing. 

378.  How  to  preserve  orange  peels  all  ti*  year,  but  es~ 

pecially  in  May. 

Cut  some  oranges  m  four  quarters  and  peel  them.  Then 
put  the  peels  to  soak  in  water  for  about  ten  or  twelve  days  % 
then  dry  them  between  two  cloths,  and  put  them  in  a  cald- 
ron with  a  sufficient  quantity  of  honey  to  half  cover  them. 
Boil  them  thus  one  minute  or  two,  stirring  them  incessantly. 
Then  take  them  off  the  fire,  and  let  them  rest  till  the  next 
day,  put  them  on  again,  and  let  boil  ten  minutes  or  a  quarter- 
of  an  hour.  For  six  or  seven  days  repeat  the  same  operation, 
taking  great  care  incessantly-  to  stir,  turn  them  all  the  while 
they  are  on  the  fire.  On  the  eighth  day  change  the  honey  ; 
and  in  the  fresh  honey  boil  them  five  minutes,  then  pot  them 
with  that  new  honey  in  which  they  boiled  last,  and  keep 
them  for  use,  after  having  added  pome  cinnamon,  cloves,  and  \ 
ivhite  ginger,  mixed  and  both  reduced  into  subtile  powder. 

379.     The  Genoa  paste. 

Take  equal  quantities  of  quinces  and  odoring  apple  pulp. 
The  pulp  is  prepared  thus :  peel  these  fruits,  and  clear  them 
of  their  kernels.  Then  pound  them  in  a  mortar  with  ro?e 
water,  and  strain  them  through  a  sieve.  Put  the  paste  on 
the  fire  to-dcy  by  degree?,  stirring  it  all  the  while  with  a  wood" 
en  spatula.  Then  add  as  much  sugar  in  powder  as  you  have 
pulp,  and  go  on  in  doing  it,  UH  it  has  acquired  the  consistence 
of  a  paste. 

380.     Quinces  jam ,  and  other  fruits. 

Boil  in  a  sufficient  quantity  of  water,  both  the  flesh  and 
the  peelings  of  your  fruits  to  perfect  softness.     Then  let  the 
decoction  clarify  in  the  sun,  when  settled," decant  it,  and  ad°  - 
ding  to  the  liquor  the  proper  quantity  of  sugar,  boil  it  to  a. 

jelly. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRAO&& 

v  >  -     381.     Gf  «00  biscuits. 

Take  four  ounces  of  sugar  in  powder,  one  pound  of  flour, 
a  little  coriander  and  anniseeds  in  powder,  which  mix  with 
four  eggs  and  as  much  lukewarm  water  as  needs  to  make  a 
dough  of  the  whole.  Bake  it  in  the  oven,  and  when  baked r 
cut  it  in  tiv-e  or  six  slices,  which  you  bake  again. 

382.     Macaroons. 

Pound  well  one  pound  of  sweet  almonds,  moistening  them 
with  rose  water.  Introduce  one  pound  of  sugar,  and  beat  all 
well  in  a  soft  paste,  which  put  round  a  dish,  and  half  bake  in 
a  lukewarm  oven.  When  the  pa-te  is  half  done,  cut  it  v\ 
small  round  pieces,  and  having  ranged  them  on  a  sheet  of  pa- 
per, tinLh  baking  them. 

383.     Particular  method  of  making  cakes. 

Wash  and  clean  well  a  dozen  of  eggs,  and  wipe  them 
thoroughly  dry.  Then  bieak  them  and  take  their  whites  only, 
which  beat  in  a  mortar  along  with  thtir  shells  till  these  latter 
be  perfectly  dissolved.  Now  3<ud  sugar  and  Hour,  though 
not  so  much  flour  as  sugar.  When  all  is  well  mixed,  spread 
the  paste,  which  ought  to  be  a  little  firm,  on  a  sheet  of  paper, 
and  after  having  glazed  it,  bake  it  in  a  slow  oven, 

38 4k     A  cream  which  cuts  as  a  rice  pudding. 

Beat  in  a  dish  two  whites  of  eggs  and  one  yolk,  in  which,- 
while  you  bear,  introduce  by  degrees  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of 
mgar  in  proportion  as  it  melts  and  a  pap  spoonful  of  rose- 
water.  When  comp-leted,  pour  in  the  dishj  and  stir,  a  quart 
<-)f  milk  and  cream  mixed  half  and  half,  then  set  it  gently  on; 
warm  cinders  to  take  without  boiling,  not  disturbing  it  any 
more.  In  an  hour's  time  it  general  y  is  sufficiently  taken.— 
Then  colour  it  in  passing  a  red  hot  tLovel  over  it.  It  is  to  be 
served  coldy  after  having  rasped  some  sugar  on  it. 

385.     To  make  an  exceeding  good  boiled  cream. 

Take  cream  from  the  cow,  which  boil  with  a  crum  of  stale- 
bread,  rasped  very  fine,  and  a  little  fresh  butter.  As  soorr 
as  it  begins  to  quake,  stir  it  continually  with  a  spoon  ;  and 
having  diluted  some  yolks  of  eggs,  strain  them  through  ^ 
cloth.  Put  as  much  salt  and  sugar  in  your  cream  as  you 
think  it  requires.  And  when  it  boils  and  begins  to  rise,  pour 
t-he  yolks  of  eggs  in,  never  ceasing  to  stir  it  in  order  to  pre-» 
?exit  its  rising  so  far  as  to  run  over.  As  soon  as  you  see  it  b^ 
L  S 


114  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

gins  to  render  the  butter,  take  it  out  of  the  fire,  and  to  serves 
glaze  it  over  with  sugar  in  powder. 

386»     How  to  reduce  tobacco  into  powder. 

Uncord  the  tobacco,  and  spread  the  leaves  to  dry  in  the  £una  • 
Then  pound  them  in  a  mortar,  and  sift  through  a  coarse 
sieve  to  get  the  coarsest  powder  out  of  it.  As  for  sifting,  ob- 
serve to  do  it  in  due  proportion  as  you  pound  it*  and  not  to 
pound  much  at  a  time.     You  may  also  take  another  method,  • 
that  of  grinding  it  in  one  of  those  small  mills  which  are  made 
on  purpose  for  grinding  tobacco.    By  these  means  you  may9  f 
•without  much  trouble,  make  it  as  coarse  and  as  fine  as  you  * 
like,  by  screwing  tighter  or  slacker  the  nut. 

387.     How  to  purge  snuff,  and  prepare  itjzr  admitting 
of  odours. 

Have  a  small  tub  pierced  with  a  hole  at  bottom,  which  you 
may  stop  and  unstop  with  a  cork  as  you  want  it.  In  this  tub 
put  a  very  thick  and  close  weaved  cloth,  which  turn  over  the  ' 
rim  of  the  tub  and  fix  there  by  the  outside..   Put  your  snuff 
in  it,  and  pour  water  over  it.     After  it  has  soaked  thustwen°  • 
ty-four  hours,  unstop  the  hole  of  the  tub  and  let  the  water 
drain  away,  wringing  .the  cloth  in  which  it  is  to  help  the  ex-  • 
pression  of  the  water.     Repeat  .this •operation  three  different 
times  to  purge  it  the  better.     When  this  operation   is  per- 
formed, set  the  snuff  to  drying  in  the  sun.     When  dry,  put  it 
again  in   the  tub  in  the  same  manner  as  before,  and  soak  '- 
it  again,   not  with  common  water,   but  with  some  smelling 
ones,  such  as  for  example,  orange  fiower  water,  tatt-d'ange^  , 
&c.  Twenty-four  hours  after  let  the  water  run  off  and  drain,  , 
then  set  it  in  the  sun  to  dry  as  before.  In/the;mean  while  stir 
and  a- perse  it  again  with  smelling  water.  >  Such  is  the  indis- 
pen  >ible  preparation  absolutely  requisite  to  dispose  snuff  to  > 
receive  the  odour,  of  flowers,     If.  you  do  not  care  to  have  it 
30  perfectly  nice,  and  should  not  like  to  waste  so  much  of  it? 
you  may  give  it  but  one  wa^h  of  the  common  water.     This 
moderate  purgation  will  do  pretty  well,  especially  if,  while 
it  is  a  drying  in  the  sun,  you  knead  it  the  more  often  in  pro- 
portion  with  your  fragrant  waters,  and  let  it  dry  each  tinu; 
between.  \ 

388.     How  to  perfume  snuff  with  flowers. 

The  tuberose,  the  jessamine,  the  orange  flowers,  &c.  and 
those  which  communicate  the  more  easily  their  fragrancy  to 
the  snuff.  To  produce  this,  have  a  box  lined  with  white 
paper  perfectly  dry,  in  which  make  a  bed  of  snuff,  the  thick« 
3es&.of  an  inch,  then  one  of  flowers,  another  of  snuff,  and  an- 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES;'          US' 

other  of  flowers  again,  continuing  so  to  do  till  you  have  em- 
ployed all  your  snuff.  After  having  let  this  stratification  sub- 
sist for  twenty-four  hours,  separate  the  Rowers  from  the  snuC 
by  means  of  the  sieve,  and  renew  the  same  stratification  again 
as  before  with  new  flowers.  Continue  thus  to  do  till  you  find 
that  your  snuff  has  acquired  a  sufficient  fragrancy  from  the 
flowers:  then  put  it  in  lead  boxes  to  keep  it. 

389.     The  odour  Ing  snuff  after  the  method  practised  at- 
Rome. 

Take  the  snuff  after  its  being  perfumed  with  flowers,  and 
put  it  in  a  large  bowl  or  other  proper  vessel.  Pour  over  i?; 
some  white  wine  with  an  addition  of  essences  of  musk  and  < 
amber,  or  any  other  such  like  odoure.  Then  stir  your  snuff 
and  rub  it  all  between  your  hands.  In  this  manner  you  may: 
have  snuff  of  whatever  odour  you  desire,  which,  to  distinguish 
from  each  other,  you  putinto  separate  lead  boxes  with  a  par- 
ticular mark* 

390.  •   The  snuff  ^wlth  tie  odour  of  civet. 

Take  a  little  civet  in  your  hands  with  a  little  snuff ;  spread  • 
that  civet,  more  and  more  in  bruising  with  your  fingers,  and 
an  addition  of  snuff.  After  Having,  mixed  and  remixed  it  thus 
in  your  hand  with  the  whole  quantity  of  snuff,  put  all  again 
together  in  its  box  as  before.     You  may  do  the  same  with  re»  • 
spect  to  other  odours, 

391.     Amber-snuff? 

Heat  the  bottom  of  a  mortar,  and  pound  in  it  twenty  grains 
of  amber,  adding  by  degrees  a  pound  of  snuff  to  it,  which 
rub  and  mix  afterwards  with  your  hands  to  introduce  the  : 
odourthebetteramong.it.  - 

392.     The  odor  ing  sn  uffy  M  aithese fashion .  - 

Take  a  snuff  ready  prepared  with  orange  flower  water, 
(as  directed  in  art.  387,) then  perfume  it  with  amber  as  we  have 
jast  said  ;  after  which  with  ten  grains  of  civet,  pound  with  a 
little  sugar  in  a  mortar,  introduce  again  your  snuff,  by  de- 
grees, to  the  quantity  of  a  pound  for  these  ten  grains,  increas- 
ing either  the  snuff  or  the  odours  in  the  same  proportion  to 
each  other. 

393.     The  true  Malthese  method  of  preparing  snuff. 

Take  rose  tree  and  liquorice  roots,  which  peel  and  reduce 
them  into  pgwder  and  sift  it,  then  give  it  what  odou*  you 


H3  SSC&ETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES, 

like,  adding  white  wine,  brandy  or  spirit  of  wine,  and  mix 
your  snuff"  well  with  thi?.  Such  is  the  true  Malthese  method 
of  preparing  snuff. 

394.     The  Spanish  method  of  preparing  perfumed  snuff* 

1.  Pound  in  a  small  mortar  twenty  grains  of  musk  with  a 
little  ?ugar.  Add  by  degrees  as  much  as  a  pound  of  snuff  to 
it ;  then  pound  ten  grains  of  civet,  and  introduce  your  musk- 
ed  snuff  to  it  in  a  gradual  manner  as  before,  and  rub  altogeth- 
er between  your  hands. 

^2.  The  Seviile-snuif  is  the  same  with  only  an  addition  of 
twenty  grains  of  vanilla*  an  ingredient  which  enters  in  the 
composition  of  chocolate* 

3.  They  wha  are  fond  of  a  milder  and  sweeter  odour  in 
their  snuflf  may  increase  the  quantity  of  snuff  for  the  prescrib- 
ed doses  of  odours,  or  diminish  the  doses  of  odours  pre~ 
scribed  for  the  quantity  of  snuff.  Take  care  not  to  let  odour- 
ing  snuff  be  exposed  to  the  air,  but  keep  it  very  close  for  fear 
it  should  lo  e  it  fragrancy. 

4.  As  the  Spanish  snuff  is  excessively  fine  ard  drawing  to~ 
wards  a  reddish  hue,  to  imitate  it  in   the  above  prescription 
you  must  chuse  fine  Holland  well  purged,  reddened  and  gran- 
ulated, pound  and  sift  it  through  a  very  fine  silk  sieve.  Then 
give  it  whatever  odour  you  like,  after  having  purged  it  in  the 
manner  we  prescribed  in  article  387. 

5.  There  is  no  inconveniency  in  taking  a  snuff  already  pre- 
pared with  flowers,  to  give  it  afterwards,  an   odour  of  am- 
ber, musk,  and  other  perfume.  On  the  contrary,  such  a  snuff 
is  the  readier  to  take  the  other  odours,  and  preserve  them  so 
much  the  longer. 

395.      To  give  a  red  or  ysllow  cohur  to  snujf. 

Take  the  bulk  of  a  nut  of  red  or  yellow  ochre,  with  which 
mix  a  little  white  chalk  to  temperate  the  above  colours  at 
your  pleasure.  Grind  either  of  the  e  ochres  with  three  drachms 
of  oil  of  almonds  ;  then  continuing  to  grind  it  on  the  stone, 
add  by  a  little  at  a  time  some  water  to  it  till  you  see  the  paste 
admits  of  it  freely  and  becomes  very  smooth  and  equal.  Now 
take  some  gum  adragant  water  and  introduce  it  to  the  above 
paste,  stirring  continually.  At  last  gather  it  in  alargegrhzed 
bowl,  and  dilute  it  in  about  a  quart  of  common  water.  Then 
take  your  snuff,  well  purged  and  prepared'  as  in  art.  387,  and 
throw  it  in  this  bowl,  wherein  handle  and  rub  it  well  to  make 
it  take  the  colour  more  regularly  and  equally.  When  it  is 
thus  made  all  into  a  lump,  let  it  rest  twenty-four  hours  be- 
fore putting  it  to  dry  in  the  sun,  which  immediately  after 
spreading  it  on  a  dry  cloth  and  turning  it  now  and  tket)  to 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  1 1  ,- 

lielp  its  drying.  Then  gum  it  again  by  aspersion  with  gum 
adragant  pulverised  and  dissolved  into  some  smelling  watery 
or  you  may  again  dip  your  hands  into  that  water,  and  rub 
your  snuff  between  your  hands  thus  wetted,  which  last  meth- 
od is  preferable,  as  it  gums  the  snuff  infinitely  more  regular. 
Lastly,  dry  it  again  in  the  sun  ;  and  when  perfectly  dry,  sift 
it  through  the  finest  sieve  you  can  find,  and  then  it  will  be 
ready  to  admit  of  whatever  odour  you  please  to  impregnate 
it  with, 

396.     To  take  tff  iron  moulds  from  linen* 

Put  boiling  water  into  a  bowl,  and  spread  the  stained  parts 
of  your  linen  over  it.  as  to  be  well  penetrated  with  the  steam 
3>f  the  water.  Then  rub  the  plsces  with  sorrel  juice  and  salt 
till  they  are  perfectly  soaked.  Such  linen  washed  afterwards 
in  the  lye  of  wood  a?hes,  will  be  found  to  return  entirely  free 
from  the  iron  mould  spots  it  had  before. 

397.     To  take  off  carriage  wheel  grease  from  clothes. 

Rub  the  place  with  batter.  Then  with  blotting  paper  and 
a  hot  iron  yoir  may  take  all  off  as  you  would  a  drop  of  was 
or  tallow  orr  a  cloth. 

398.     To  take  cjf  spots  from  cloth  of  any  colour, 

Take  half  a  pound  of  crude  honey,  the  yolk  of  a  new  laid 
egg,  and  the  bulk  of  a  nut  of  ammoniac  salt.  Mix  altogeth- 
er, and  put  some  on  the  spots.  Having  left  it  there  a  whi;e, 
waih  the  place  with  clean  water,  and  the  spot  will  dib^>- 
pear/ 

399;     A  receipt  against  all  sorts  of  spots  upon  stuff* 

A  water  impregnated  with  alkaline  salt,  black  soap  and 
bullock's  gall,  take  off  extremely  well  the  greasy  spots  from 
any.  cloth  or  silk  stuff. 

400.     Against  cil  spcts. 

Take  a  piece  of  white  soap,  shaved  very  fine,  and  put  in 
a,  quart  bottle  with  a  wide  mouth  and  neck,  half  filled  with 
lye.  Add  to  this  the  bulk  of  a  nut  of  ammoniac  salt,  two 
yoiks  of  eggs,  cabbage  juice  and  bullock's  gall  a  discretiona- 
ble  quantity,  one  ounce -of  salt  of  tartar  in  subtile  powder  sift- 
ed. Stop  the  bottle  well,  shake  it  and  expose  it  to  the  sun 
for  four  days.  After  that  time  if  you  pour  off  that  liquor  on 


3  la  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

any  oil  spot,  and  rub  it  well  with  it  in  and  outside,  then  let 
it  dry,  and  wash  it  again  with  clear  water. 

401.     To  take  out  pitch  and  turpentine  spofs. 

Rub  well  the  spot  with  oil  of  olive,  which  set  to  dry  for 
one  day.  Then  with  warm  water  and  the  above  washing  ball, 
you  will  entirely  ungrease  the  place. 

402.     Against  ink  spots,  whether  on  cloth  or  linen. 

Wet  immediately  the  place  with  lemon,  or  sorrel  juice,  or 
with  white  soap  diluted  in  vinegar. 

403.     For  silks. 

If  you  rub  the  spots  which  are  upon  a  silk  with  spirit  of 
turpentine,  they  will  disappear;  because  the  volatility  of 
that  spirit  exhaling  into  vapour,  carries  along  with  it  the  oil 
of  the  spot  to  which  on  account  of  its  homogeneous  quality, 
it  communicates  it  volatility,  by  penetrating  and  subdividing 
it  infinitely. 

404.  To  restore  gold  and  silver  lace  to  their  former  beauty. 

Mix  equal  quantities  of  water,  bullock's  and  jack's  gall. — 
With  this  composition,  rub  your  gold  or  silver,  and  you  will 
see  it  changing  colour  directly* 

405.     To  restore  Turkey  carpets  to  their  Jirst  bloom. 

Beat  the  carpet  well  with  a  rod,  till  perfectly  free  from 
du^t.  Then'if  there  be  any  spots  of  ink,  take  them  out  with 
a  lemon,  or  with  sorrel,  and  wash  the  place  afterwards  with 
clear  water.  Shake  the  rest  of  the  water  off,  and  let  it  dry, 
risb  the  carpet  very  hard  all  over  with  the  smoakinghot  crum 
of  a  white  loaf;  and  when  you  find  in  the  evening  the  skies 
clear  and  a  likelihood  of  being  a  fine  night,  let  the  carpet  be 
put  out  for  two  or  three  such  nights. 

406.      To  make  tapestries  resume  their  Jirst  bright  ness9 
ivhen  their  colours  have  been  tarnished  and  spoiled. 

Shake  and  clean  well  the  tapestry  by  robbing  it  all  over 
with  white  chalk,  which  leave  on  it  for  about  one  day.  Next 
with  a  rough  hair  brush  get  all  that  chalk  out  again,  aucl  put 
on  fresh,  which  leave  as  before.  Then  with  the  same  rough 
hair  brush  get  this  out  also,  and  beat  it  soundly  with  a  rod, 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.          119 

and  brush  it  afterwards  with  a  soft  cloth-brush.    This  cp« 
oration  wiU  restore  a  tapestry  to  its  pristine  state. 

407.  To  take  off  spots  of  wax  from  velvet  of  any  colour, 

except  the  crimson. 

Take  the  crum  of  a  stale  loaf,  and  cut  a  thick  slice  out  of 
it,  which  toast  and  apply,  while  burning  hot,  an  the  spot  of 
wax  ;  when  cooled,  renew  it  till  all  the  wax  is  soaked  out  of 
the  velvet. 

408.  To  iva/h  a  gold  or  silver ^  or  sill  embroidery  or 
any  stuff  whatever,  and  render  it  like  new. 

Take  bullock's  gall,  a  pound,  soap  and  honey,  three  ounces 
of  each,  and  Florentine  orrice,  about  the  same  quantity  in 
-subtile  powder.  Pat  all  in^  a  glass  vessel,  in  which  mix  it 
well  into  a  paste,  and  let  it  be  exposed  for  ten  days  in  the  sun. 
When  you  are  ready  to  use  it,  make  an  infusion  of  bran, 
which  boil  in  water  and  strain  through  a  cloth.  Then  smear 
the  work  over  with  the  above  described  paste,  in  such  places 
as  you  want  to  clean,  and  wash  them  afterwards  with  bran 
water,  renewing  this  till  it  receives  no  more  alteration  in  its 
colour.  Wipe  well  the  places  with  a  white  cloth  and  wrap 
the  work  in  a  clean  napkin  to  set  it  in  the  sun  co  dry,  after 
which  pass  it  through  the  polishing  and  lustring  press,  and 
the  work  will  be  as  fine  and  bright  as  when  new. 

409.     To  revive  the  colour  of  a  cloth. 

Pour  one  quart  of  water  on  one  pound  of  burnt  pot-ashes. 
Twelve  hours  after  decant  the  water  offin  another  vessel,  knd 
put  in  a  handful  of  dry  moth  mullin  leaves,  with  two  bul- 
lock's galls.  Boil  altogether  till  the  leaves  go  to  the  bottom, 
Then  set  this  watef  for  a  few  days  in  the  sun.  Then  putting 
m  it  whatever  colour  you  want,  boil  it  with  the  cloth  in  that 
lye,  and  let  it  thus  soak  afterwards  fourteen  or  fifteen  days, 
•then  the  cloth  will  have  resumed  its  primary  colour. 

410.     To  take  the  spots  of  from  a  white  doth. 

^  Boil  two  ounces  of  alum  for  half  an  hour,  in  a  pint,  or  a 
pint  and  a  half  of  water ;  then  put  in  a  piece  of  white  soap* 
with  another  pound  of  alum  ;  and  having  soaked  thus  three 
days  in  the  cold,  you  may  with  it  wash  all  the  spots  of  any 
white  cloth  whatever. 

4  i  1 .     A  composition  of  soap  -to  take  off  all  sorts  of  spots, 

\.  Take  a  pound  of  Venetian  white  soap,  six  yolks  of  eggs 
and  half  a  spoonful  of  salt  pounded.  Incorporate  all  together 


1 20  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

\vith  a  sufficient  quantity  of  the  juice  from  the  leaves  <K 
white  beet.  Make  this  composition  into  small  cakes,  which 
dry  in  the  shade. 

2.  To  tise  them,  wet  the  place  of  the  cloth  where  the 
FpctivS  with  c;  ear  water,  and  rub  it  over  on  both  sides  with 
the  said  soap,  then  washing  it  the  spot  will  disappear. 

412.    ,Howto  eniice  a  great  quantity  of  fah  to  resort  to 
a  certain  place. 

Grind  together  coculas  Indicu?,  cummin  and  some  old 
-cheese,  make  a  paste  .of  it  with  wine*lye  and  wheat  flour. — 
When  all  is  well  incorporated-  make  it  into  pilh  the  size  of  a 
pea.  Throw  them  into  a  river  or  pond,  wherein  you  know 
there  is  a  grtat  quantity  of  fish,  in  a  part  where  the  water  is 
clear  and  undifturbed.  Every  fish  who  shall  swallow  those 
pills  will  be  so  intoxicated  that  they  will  alLcome  to  the  side 
of  the  water,  and  you  will  be  able  to  take  them  with  your 
hand  In  a  short  time  their  intoxication  will  go  off  and 
they  will  become  as  brisk  as  ever  they  were  before  eating  that 
bait. 

413.     HQIV  to  get  a, good  many  birds. 

Put  a-soaking  b'ome  birds  seed  in  good  brandy,  with  a  Hfc- 
ile  white  hellebore,  and  place  it  in  some  part  of  your  garden 
as  a  bait  for  the  birds  which  frequent  it,  and  those  that  eat  of 
that  seed  will  be  so  suddenly  intoxicated  by  it,  that  they  will 
suffer  themselves  to  be  taken  by  the  hand. 

414.  To  preserve  and  multiply  pigeons. 

•In  a  large  dovecot,  prepare  the  following  food  which  will 
induce  your  pigeons  to  love  their  cot,  also  to  bring  you  a 
great  many  strangers  when  they  go  abroad.  Take  thirty 
pounds  of  millet,  three  of  cummin,  five  of  honey,  half  a 
pound  of  bishop's  wart,  otherwise  costus,  two  pound  of  agnus 
castus  seed,  which  boil  in  river  water  to  the  evaporation  of 
the  last.  Then  in  its  stead  pour  a  gallon  and  a  half  or  two 
gallons  of  red  Port,  with  eight  pounds  of  mortar,  well  pul- 
verised, which  set-on. the  fire  for  an  hour  to  concoct.  Thus 
all  those  ingredients  will  harden  and  form  a  lump,  which  if 
placed  in  the  middle  of  the  dovecot,  will  in  a  short  time 
amply  reward  you  for  your  expense. 

415.  How  to  fatten  pigeons. 

Experience  shews  that  nothing  will  keep  pigeons  in  better 
order,  and  fatten1  them  sooner,  than  a  paste  made  of  frie£ 
'beans  with  cummin  and  honey. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  321 


Pottery,  or  the  art  of  making  vessels  of  baked  earth,  is  of 
the  remotest  antiquity.  The  ancient  Greeks  and  Etruscans 
particularly  excelled  in  it.  Porcelain,  the  most  perfect  spe- 
cies of  pottery,  has  been  made  in  China  from  time  immemo- 
rial. 

Alumine  and  silex  are  two  substances  of  which  every  kind 
of  earthen  ware  is  made.  Ciay  alone  shrinks  and  cracks  ; 
the  flint  gives  it  solidity  and  strength. 

Common  pottery,  such  as  coarse  brown  jugs,  &c.  are  made 
of  the  ordinary  clays,  which  are  a  mixture  of  sand  and  clay, 
coloured  by  oxyde  of  iron.  .The  clay  is  well  ground,  or 
kneaded,  and  aHump  of  it  is  put  upon  the  centre  of  a  wheel 
which*  is  kept  in  motion  ;  then,  by  means  of  the  workman's 
hand,  or  by  proper  tools,  it  is  formed  into  the  required  shape. 
The  pieces  are  then  dried  moderately,  so  as  to  bear  being  re- 
moved without  danger  ;  they  are  then  covered  with  a  glaze, 
made  from  semi-vitreous  oxyde  of  lead,  and  put  into  a  fur- 
nace, where  they  are  baked.  Some  sorts  are  glazed  by  throw- 
ing sea-salt  into  the  furnace  among  the  different  pieces  of 
pottery.  The  salt  is  decomposed,  and  the  vapours  of.it  form 
a  glazing  upon  the  vessels  ;  but  this,  though  a  very  simple 
and  ingenious  method,  does  not  form  a  good  glazing. 

English  stone  ware  is  made  of  tobacco  pipe  clay,  mixed 
with  flints  calcined  and  ground.  This  mixture  burns  white, 
and  vessels  of  this  were  at  first  glazed  with  sea-salt.  Mr. 
WEDGWOOD  was  the  first  who  introduced  a  superior  kind  of 
it,  now  so  common,  called  queen's  ware.  The  tobacco  pipe 
clay  is  much  beat  in  water  ;  by  this  process  the  finer  parts 
remain  suspended  in  the  water,  while  the  coarser,  sand,  and 
other  impurities,  fall  to  the  bottom.  The  thick  liquid,  con- 
sisting of  water  and  the  finer  parts  of  the  clay,  is  further  pu- 
rified by  passing  it  through  hair  and  lawn  sieves,  of  different 
degrees  of  fineness.  After  this,  the  liquid  is  mixed  (in  vari- 
ous proportions  for  various  wares)  with  another  liquor  of  the 
same  density,  and  consisting  of  flints  calcined,  ground,  &  d 
suspended  in  water*  The  mixture  is  then'  dried  in  a  kiln  ; 
and  being  afterwartls£e'aten  to  a  proper  temper,  it  becomes 
fit  for  being  formedat  the  wheel  into  dl:hes,  plates,  bowls,  &&. 
When  this  ware  is  to  be  put  into  the  furnace  to  be  baked, 
the  several  pieces  of  it  are  placed  in  cases  made  of  chy,  call- 
ed seggars,  which  are  piled  one  upon  another  in  the  dome  of 
the  furnace  ;  a  fire  is  then  lighted,  and  the  ware  iu  brought 
to  a  proper  temper  for  glazing.  It  is  then  dipped  into  a 
glaze,  made  by  mixing  together  in  water,  tilt  it  becomes  as 
thick  aa  cream,  112  parts  of  white  lead,  24  part?  of  ground 
flint,  and  6  parts  of  ground  fliat  glass.  The  ware,  by  being 
M 


1 2»          SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

baked,  acquires  a  strong  property  of  imbibing  moisture,  and 
in  this  state  is  called  biscuit :  when  dipped  into  the  glaze, 
therefore,  it  greedily  attracts  it  into  its  pores,  and  the  ware 
presently  becomes  dry.  It  is  then  exposed  a  second  time  to 
the  fire,  by  which  means  the  glaze  it  has  imbibed  is  melted, 
and  a  thin  glassy  coat  is  formed  upon  its  surface.  The  col- 
our of  the  coat  is  more  or  less  yellow,  according  as  a  greater 
or  less  proportion  of  lead  has  been  used.  The  lead  is  prin- 
cipally instrumental  in  producing  the  glaze,  as  well  as  in  giv- 
ing it  the  yellow  colour  ;  for  lead,  of  all  the  substances  hith- 
erto known,  has  the  greatest  power  of  promoting  the  vitrifi- 
cation of  the  substances  with  which  it  is  mixed.  The  flint 
serves  to  give  a  consistency  to  the  lead  during  the  time  of  its 
vitrification,  and  to  hinder  it  from  becoming  too  fluid,  and 
running  down  the  sides  of  the  ware,  and  thereby  leaving  them 
.unglazed. 

This  glazing,  made  by  means  of  lead,  is  liable  to  be  attack- 
ed by  acids,  and  is  supposed  to  be  productive  of  deleterious 
effects,  when  employed  in  jars  used  for  pickling,  &c. 

The  following  composition  has  been  recommended  as  a 
substitute : 

To  make  this,  white  glass  and  soda,  in  equal  portions,  must 
be  very  finely  pulverised,  carefully  sifted,  and  well  mixed. 
The  mixture  is  then  exposed  to  a  strong  heat,  till  it  is  ren- 
dered very  dry.  It  is  afterwards  put  into  vessels  which  have 
been  already  baked  ;  is  then  melted,  and  the  varnish  is  made. 
It  may  be  applied  in  the  game  manner  as  that  in  common  use. 

The  advantage  of  it  is,  that  it  is  safe,  and  can  have  none  of 
those  poisonous  effects  which  arise  from  the  decomposition 
of  the  lead  varnish. 

Porcelain,  or  china,  is  a  semi-vitrified  earthen  ware,  of  an 
Intermediate  nature  between  common  ware  and  glass.  Chi- 
nese porcelain  is  composed  of  two  ingredients,  one  of  which 
is  a  hard  stone,  called  petuntse^  which  is  carefully  ground  to 
.a  very  fine  powder ;  and  the  other,  called  kaolin^  is  a  white 
earthy  substance  which  is  intimately  mixed  with  the  ground 
stof.e.  The  former  is  of  the  siliceous,  and  the  latter  of  the 
aluminous  genus. 

The  Chinese  long  excelled  in  the  art  of  making  porcelain^ 
tut  it  is  now  made  in  various  parts  of  Europe  of  an  equally 
good  quality,  and  much  more  ornamental. 

By  genuine  or  true  porcelain^  such  pottery  is  understood 
as  is  infusible  in  the  strongest  fire  excited  in  furnaces ;  is 
hard,  but  not  so  brittle  as  glass ;  proof  against  any  sudden 
and  great  changes  of  heat  and  cold  ;  finely  grained,  dense, 
and  without  gloss  in  the  fracture ;  not  glassy,  and  of  a 
peculiar  transparency. 

Several  compositions  of  mingled  earths  may  yield  a  true 
•porcelain,  by  being  burnt ;  and  the  porcelains  of  various 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES-  123 

countries  difier  in  their  mixtures*  But  the  principal  basis  of 
any  true  porcelain,  i  >  that  kind  of  clay  which  becomes  white 
by  baking,  and  which,  either  by  intermingled  heterogeneous 
earth,  or  by  particular  additions,  undergoes  in  the  fire  an 
incipient  vitrification,  in  which  the  true  nature  of  porcelain 
consists.  Feldspar  and  gypsum,  if  added,  may  give  that 
property  to  infusible  clay. 

When  porcelain  is  to  be  made,  the  clay  is  properly  select-. 
ed,  carefully  washed  from  impurities,  and  again  dried.  It  is 
then  finely  sifted,  and  most  accurately  mingled  with  quartz, 
ground  very  fine  ;  to  which,  then,  is  added  some  burnt  and 
finely  pulverised  gypsum,  This  mass  is  worked  with  water 
to  a  paste,  and  duly  kneaded  ;  it  is  usually  suffered  to  lie  in 
this  state  for  years.  The  vessels  and  other  goods  formed  of 
this  mass,  are  first  moderately  burnt  in  earthen  pots,  to  re- 
ceive a  certain  degree  of  compactness,  and  to  be  ready  for 
glazing.  The  glazing  consists  of  an  easily  melted  mixture  of 
some  species  of  earths,  as  the  petrosilex  or  chert,  fragments 
of  porcelain  and  gypsum,  which,  when  fused  together,  pro- 
duce a  crystalline,  or  vitreous  mass,  that,  after  cooling,  is  ve- 
ry finely  ground,  and  suspended  in  a  sufficient  quantity  of 
water.  Into  this  fluid  the  rough  ware  is  dipped,  by  which 
the  glazing  matter  is  deposited  uniformly  on  every  part  of  its 
surface.  After  drying,  each  article  is  thoroughly  baked  or 
burned  in  the  violent  heat  of  the  porcelain  furnace.  It  is  usual 
to  decorate  porcelain  by  paintings,  for  which  purpose,  enam- 
els or  pastes,  coloured  by  metallic  oxydes,  are  used,  so  easy 
of  fusion  as  to  run  in  a  heat  less  intense  than  that  in  which 
the  glazing  of  the  ware  melts. 

Delft  ware,  so  called  because  first  made  at  Delft  in  Hol- 
land, is  a  kind  of  pottery  made  of  sand  and  clay,  and  but 
slightly  baked,  so  that  it  resists  sudden  application  of  heau 
Articles  made  of  this  are  glazed  with  an  enamel,  composed 
of  common  salt,  sand  ground  fine,  oxyde  of  lead,  and  oxycje 
of  tin.  The  use  of  the  latter  is  to  give  opacity  to  the  glaze, 

Tobacco  pipes  require  a  very  fine,  tenacious,  and  refractory- 
clay,  which  is  either  naturally  of  a  perfectly  white  colour,  or 
if  it  have  somewhat  of  a  grey  cast,  will  necessarily  burn  white. 
A  clay  of  this  kind  must  contain  no  calcareous  or  ferruginous, 
earth,  and  must  also  be  carefuDy  deprived  of  any  sand  it  may 
contain,  by  washing.  It  ought  to  possess,  besides,  the  capi- 
tal property  of  shrinking  but  little  in  the  fire.  If  it  should 
not  prove  sufficiently  ductile,  it  may  be  meliorated  by  the 
admixture  of  another  sort.  Last  of  all,  it  is  beaten,  knead- 
ed, ground,  washed,  and  sifted,  till  it  acquires  the  requisite 
degree  of  fineness  and  ductility. 

When,  after  this  preparation,  the  clay  has  obtained  a  due 
degree  of  ductility,  it  is  rolled  out  in  small  portions  to  the 
usual  length  of  a  pipe,  perforated  with  a  wire,  and  put,  to* 


124  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

gether  with  the  wire,  into  a  brass  mould  rubbed  over  with 
oil,  to  give  it  its  external  form  ;  after  which  it  is  fixed  into 
a  vice,  and  the  hollow  part  of  the  head  formed  with  a  stop- 
per. The  pipes,  thus  brought  into  form,  are  cleared  of  the 
redundant  clay  that  adheres  to  the  seams,  a  rim  or  border  is 
made  round  the  head,  they  are  then  marked  with  an  iron 
stamp  upon  the  heel,  and  the  surfaces  smoothed  and  polished. 
When  they  are  well  dried,  they  are  put  into  boxes,  and  ba- 
ked in  a  furnace.  In  the  Dutch  manufactories,  these  boxes 
consist  of  conical  pots  made  of  clay,  with  conical  lids,  with 
a  tube  passing  through  the  middle  of  them,  by  which  the 
pipes  are  supported  ;  or  else,  they  are  long  clay  boxes,  in 
which  the  pipes  are  laid  horizontally,  and  stratified  with 
fragments  of  pipes  pounded  small. 

Lastly,  the  pipe?,  when  baked,  are  covered  with  a  glazing 
or  varnish,  and  afterwards  rubbed  with  a  cloth.  This  glazing 
consists  of  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  soap,  two  ounces  of 
white  wax,  and  one  ounce  of  gum  arabic,  or  tragacanth, 
which  are  all  boiled  together  in  five  pints  of  water,  for  the 
space  of  a  few  minuets. 


417.      OF  ENGRAVING  IN  A$UA 

tlnta  is  a  method  of  producing  prints  very  much  re- 
sembling drawings  in  Indian  ink. 

The  principle  of  the  process  consists  in  corroding  the  cop- 
per with  aqua  fortis,  in  such  a  manner,  that  an  impression 
from  it  has  the  appearance  of  a  tint  laid  on  the  paper.  This 
is  effected  by  covering  the  copper  with  a  powder  or  some 
substance  which  takes  a  granulated  form,  so  as  to  prevent  the 
aqua  foitis  from  acting  where  the  particles  adhere,  and  by 
t  hi  j  means  causes  it  to  corrode  the  copper  partially,  and  in 
the  interstices  only.  When  these  particles  are  extremely 
minute  and  near  to  each  other,  the  impression  from  the  plate 
appears  to  the  naked  eye  exactly  like  a  wash  of  Indian  ink  ; 
but  when  they  are  larger,  the  granulation  is  more  distinct, 
and  as  this  may  be  varied  at  pleasure,  it  is  capable  of  being 
adapted,  with  great  success,  to  a  variety  of  purposes  and 
subjects. 

This  powder,  or  granulation,  is  called  the  aqua  tinta  grain, 
and  there  are  two  general  modes  of  producing  it. 

We  shall  first  describe  what  is  called  the  powder  grainy  be- 
eauie  it  was  the  first  that  was  used, 

Having  etched  the  outline  on  a  copper  plate,  prepared  in 
the  usual  way  by  the  copper  smith  (for  which  see  the  article 
Etching,  )  some  substance  must  be  finely  powdered  and  sifted, 
which  will  melt  with  heat,  and  when  cold  will  adhere  to  the 
plate,  and  resist  the  action  of  aqua  fortis.  The  substances 
which  have  been  used  for  this  purpose,  either  separately  or 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  123 

mixed,  are  aspbaltum,  Burgundy  pitch)  rosin,  gum  copal,  gum 
mcutich  ;  and,  in  a  greater  or  less  degree,  all  the  resins  and 
gum  resins  will  answer  the  purpose.  Common  rosin  has  been 
most  generally  used,  and  answers  tolerably  well ;  though  gum 
copal  makes  a  grain  that  resists  the  aqua  fortis  better. 

The  substance  intended  to  be  used  for  the  grain  must  now 
be  distributed  over  the  plate  as  equally  as  possible  ;  and  dif- 
ferent methods  of  performing  this  essential  part  of  the  ope- 
ration have  been  used  by  different  engravers,  and  at  differant 
times. 

The  most  usual  way  is  to  tie  up  some  of  the  powder  in  a 
piece  of  muslin,  and  strike  it  against  a  piece  of  stick,  held  at 
a  considerable  height  above  the  plate  ;  by  this,  the  powder 
that  issues  falls  gently,  and  settles  equally  over  the  plate. 
Every  one  miut  have  observed  how  uniformly  hair  powder 
settles  upon  the  furniture  after  the  operations  of  the  hair 
dresser.  This  may  afford  a  hint  towards  the  best  mode  of 
performing  this  part  of  the  process.  The  powder  must  fall 
upon  it  from  a  considerable  height,  and  there  must  be  a  suf- 
ficiently large  cloud  of  the  dust  formed.  The  plate  being 
covered  equally  over  with  the  dust,  or  powder,  the  operator 
is  next  to  proceed  to  fix  it  upon  the  plate,  by  heating  it  gent- 
ly, so  as  to  melt  the  particles.  This  may  be  effected  by  hold- 
Ing  under  the  plate  lighted  pieces  of  brown  paper  rolled  up, 
and  moving  them  about  till  every  part  of  the  powder  is  melt- 
ed ;  this  will  be  known  by  its  change  of  colour,  which  will 
turn  brownish.  It  must  now  be  suffered  to  cool,  when  it  may 
be  examined  with  a  magnifier,  and  if  the  grains  or  particles 
appear  to  be  uniformly  distributed,  it  is  ready  for  the  next 
part  of  the  process. 

The  de-ign  or  drawing  to  be  engraved  must  now  be  exam- 
ined, and  such  parts  of  it  as  are  perfectly  white,  are  to  be  re- 
marked. Those  corresponding  parts  of  the  plate  must  be 
covered,  or  stopped  out,  as  it  is  called,  with  turpentine  var- 
nijh,  diluted  with  turpentine  to  a  proper  consistence,  to  work 
freely  with  the  pencil,  and  mixed  with  lamp  black  to  give  it 
colour  ;  for  if  transparent,  the  touches  of  the  pencil  would 
not  be  so  distinctly  seen.  The  margin  of  the  plate  must  also 
be  covered  with  varnish.  "When  the  stopping-out  is  sufficient- 
ly dry,  a  border  of  wax  must  be  raised  round  the  plate,  in 
the  same  manner  a-,  in  etching,  and  the  aqua  fortis  properly 
diluted  with  water  poured  on.  This  is  called  biting-in,  and 
is  the  part  of  the  process  which  is  most  uncertain,  and  which 
requires  the  greatest  degree  of  ftcperience.  Wiien  the  aqua 
fortis  has  lain  on  so  long  that  the  plate,  when  printed,  would 
produce  the  lightest  tint  in  the  drawing,  it  is  poured  off,  and 
the  plate  Washed  with  water,  and  dried.  When  it  is  quite 
dry,  the  lightest  tints  In  the  drawing  are  stopped-out,  and 
MS 


126  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

the  aqua  fortis  poured  on  as  before,  and  the  same  process  is 
repeated  as  often  as  there  are  tints  to  be  produced  in  che 
plate. 

Although  many  plates  are  etched  entirely  by  this  method 
of  stopping-out  and  biting-in  alternately,  yet  it  may  easily  be 
conceived,  that  in  general,  it  would  be  very  difficult  to  stop 
round,  and  leave  out  all  the  finishing  touches,  as  also  the  leaves 
of  trees  and  many  other  subjects,  which  it  would  be  impossi- 
ble to  execute  with  the  necessary  degree  of  freedom  in  this 
manner. 

To  overcome  this  difficulty,  another  very  ingenious  process 
has  been  invented,  by  which  these  touches  are  laid  on  the 
plate  with  the  same  ease  and  expedition  as  they  are  in  a 
drawing  in  Indian  ink.  Fine  washed  whiting  is  mixed  with 
a  little  treacle  or  sugar,  and  diluted  with  water  in  the  pencil, 
go  as  to  work  freely,  and  this  is  laid  on  the  plate  covered  with 
the  aqua-tint  ground,  in  the  same  manner  and  on  the  same 
parts  as  ink  on  the  drawing.  When  this  is  dry,  the  whole 
plate  is  varnished  over  with  a  weak  and  thin  varnish  of  tur- 
pentine, asphaltum,  or  mastich,  and  then  suffered  to  dry,  when 
the  aqua  fortis  is  poured  on.  The  varnish  will  immediately 
break  up  in  the  parts  where  the  treacle  mixture  was  laid,  and 
expose  all  those  places  to  the  action  of  the  acid,  while  the 
rest  of  the  plate  remains  secure.  The  effect  of  this  will  be, 
that  all  the  touches  or  places  where  the  treacle  was  used,  will 
be  bit-in  deeper  than  the  rest,  and  will  have  all  the  precisian 
and  firmness  of  touches  in  Indian  ink. 

After  the  plate  is  completely  bit-in,  the  bordering  wax  is 
taken  off,  by  heating  the  plate  a  little  with  a  lighted  piece  of 
paper;  and' it  is  then  cleared  from  the  ground  and  varnish 
by  oil  of  turpentine,  and  wiped  clean  with  a  rag  and  a  little 
fine  whiting,  when  it  is  ready  for  the  printer. 

The  principal  disadvantages  of  this  method  of  aqua  tint- 
ing are,  that  it  is  extremely  difficult  to  produce  the  required 
degree  of  coarseness  or  fineness  in  the  grain,  and  that  plates 
so  engraved  do  not  print  many  impressions  before  they  are 
worn  out.  It  is  therefore  now  very  seldom  used,  though  it 
is  occasionally  of  service. 

We  next  proceed  to  describe  the  second  method  of  pro- 
ducing the  aqua-tint  ground,  which  is  generally  practised. 
Some  resinous  substance  is  dissolved  in  spirits  of  wine,  as 
common  resin,  Burgundy  pitch,  or  mastich,  and  this  solution 
is  poured  all  over  the  plate,  which  is  then  held  in  a  slanting 
direction  till  the  superfluou^fluid  drains  off;  and  it  is  laid 
down  to  dry,  which  it  does  in  a  few  minutes.  If  the  plate  be 
then  examined  with  the  magnifier,  it  will  be  found  that  the 
spirit,  in  evaporating,  has  left  the  resin  in  a  granulated  state, 
or  rather,  that  the  latter  has  cracked  in  every  direction,  still 
adhering  firmly  tQ  the  copper. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  127 

A  grain  is  thus  produced  with  the  greatest  ease,  which  is 
extremely  regular  and  beautiful,  and  much  superior  for  most 
purposes  to  »hat  produced  by  the  former  method.  After  the 
grain  is  formed,  every  part  of  the  process  is  conducted  in  the 
same  manner  as  above  described. 

Having  thus  given  a  general  idea  of  the  art,  we  shall  men- 
tion some  particulars  necessary  to  be  attended  to,  in  order  to 
ensure  success  in  the  operation.  The  spirits  of  wine  used  for 
the  solution  must  be  highly  rectified,  and  of  the  best  quality. 
What  is  sold  in  the  shops,  geneially  contains  camphor,  which 
would  entirely  spoil  the  grain.  Resin,  Burgundy  pitch,  and 
gum  mastich,  when  dissolved  in  spirits  of  wine,  produce 
grains  of  a  different  appearance  and  figure,  and  are  sometimes 
mixed  in  different  proportions,  according  to  the  taste  of  the 
artist,  some  using  one  substance  and  some  another.  Jn  order 
to  produce  a  coarser  or  finer  grain,  it  is  necessary  to  use  a 
greater  or  smaller  quantity  of  resi'i ;  and  to  ascertain  the  pro- 
per proportions,  several  spare  pieces  of  copper  must  be  pro- 
vided, on  which  the  liquid  may  be  poured,  and  the  grain  ex- 
amined, before  it  is  applied  to  the  plate  to  be  engraved.  Af- 
ter the  solution  is  made,  it  must  stand  still  and  undisturbed 
for  a  day  or  two,  till  all  the  impurities  of  the  resin  have  set- 
tled to  the  bottom,  and  the  fluid  is  quite  pellucid.  No  other 
method  of  freeing  it  from  those  impurities  have  been  found 
to  answer  ;  straining  it  through  linen  or  muslin,  only  fills  it 
with  hairs,  which  are  ruinous  to  the  grain.  The  room  in 
which  the  liquid  is  poured  on  the  plate  must  be  perfectly  still 
and  free  from  dust,  which,  whenever  it  falls  on  the  plate 
while  wet,  causes  a  white  spot,  which  it  is  impossible  to  re- 
move without  laying  the  grain  a-fresh.  The  plate  must  also 
be  previously  cleaned,  with  the  greatest  possible  care,  with  a 
rag  and  whiting,  as  the  smallest  stain  or  particle  of  grease  pro- 
duces a  streak  or  blemish  in  the  grain.  All  these  attentions 
are  absolutely  necessary  to  produce  a  tolerably  regular  grain  ; 
and,  after  every  thing  that  can  be  done  by  the  mo*t  experi- 
enced artists,  still  there  is  much  uncertainty  in  the  process. 
They  are  somejtimes  obliged  to  lay  on  the  grains  several  times, 
before  they  procure  one  sufficiently  regular.  The  same  pro- 
portions of  materials  do  not  always  produce  the  same  effect, 
as  it  depends  in  some  degree  on  their  qualities ;  and  it  is  even 
materially  altered  by  the  weather.  These  difficulties  are  not  ^ 
to  be  surmounted  but  by  a  great  deal  of  experience  ;  and  " 
those  who  are  daily  in  the  habit  of  practising  the  art,  are  fre- 
quently liable  to  the  most  unaccountable  accidents.  Indeed 
it  is  much  to  be  lamented,  that  so  elegant  and  useful  a  process 
should  be  so  extremely  delicate  and  uncertain. 

It  being  necessary  to  hold  the  plate  in  a  slanting  direction, 
in  order  to  drain  off  the  superfluous  fluid,  there  will  naturally 
be  a  greater  body  of  the  liquid  at  the  bottom  thaa  at  the  top 


J28  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

of  the  plate.  On  this  account,  a  gain  laid  in  this  way  is  al- 
ways coarser  at  the  side  of  the  plate  that  was  held  lowermost. 
The  most  usual  way  is,  to  keep  the  coarsest  si.k:  for  the  fore 
ground,  that  being  generally  the  part  which  has  the  deepest 
shadows.  In  large  landscapes,  sometimes,  various  p<>rts  are  laid 
with  different  grains,  according  to  the  nature  of  the  subject. 

The  finer  the  grain  is,  the  more  nearly  does  the  impression 
re?emble  Indian  ink,  and  the  fitter  it  is  for  imitating  draw- 
ings ;  but  very  fine  grains  have  several  disadvantages  ;  for  they 
are  apt  to  come  off  before  the  aqua  fortis  has  lain  on  long 
enough  to  produce  the  desired  depth  ;  and  as  the  plate  is 
not  corroded  so  deep,  it  sooner  wears  out  in  printing  ;  where- 
as coarser  grains  are  firmer,  the  acid  goes  deeper,  and  the 
plate  wiil  throw  off  a  great  many  more  impressions.  The 
reason  of  all  this  is  evident,  when  it  is  considered,  that,  in 
the  fine  grains,  the  particles  are  small  and  near  each  other, 
and  consequently  the  aqua  fords,  which  acts  laterally  as  well 
as  downwards,  soon  undermines  the  particles,  and  causes 
them  to  come  off*.  If  left  too  long  on  the  plate,  the  acid 
would  eat  away  the  grain  entirely. 

On  these  accounts,  therefore,  the  moderately  coarse  grains 
are  more  sought  after,  and  answer  better  the  purpose  of  the 
publisher,  than  the  fine  grains  which  were  formerly  in  use. 

Although  there  are  considerable  difficulties  in  laying  pro- 
perly the  aqua  tint  grain,  yet  corroding  the  copper,  or  bit- 
ing-in,  so  as  to  produce  exactly  the  tint  required,  is  still  more 
precarious  and  uncertain.  All  engravers  allow  that  no  pos- 
itive rules  can  be  laid  down,  by  which  the  success  of  this 
process  can  be  secured  ;  nothiag  but  a  great  deal  of  experi- 
ence and  attentive  observation  can  enable  the  artist  to  do  it 
with  any  degree  of  certainty. 

There  are  some  hints,  however,  which  may  be  of  consider- 
able importance  to  the  person  who  wishes  to  attain  the  prac- 
tice of  this  art.  It  is  evident,  that  the  longer  the  ,icid  remains 
on  the  copper,  the  deeper  it  bites,  and  consequently  the  darker 
will  be  the  shade  in  the  impression.  It  may  be  of  some  use, 
therefore,  to  have  several  bits  of  copper  laid  with  aqua  tint 
grounds,  of  the  same  kind  to  be  used  in  the  plate,  and  to  let 
the  aqua  fortis  remain  for  different  lengths  of  time  on  each  ; 
and  then  to  examine  the  tints  produced  in  one,  two,  three, 
four  minutes,  or  longer.  Observations  of  this  kind,  frequent- 
ly repeated,  and  with  different  degrees  of  strength  of  the  acid, 
\vill  at  length  assist  the  judgment,  in  guessing  at  the  tint 
which  is  produced  in  the  plafte.  A  magnifier  is  also  useful 
to  examine  the  grain,  and  to  observe  the  depth  to  which  it  is 
bit  It  must  be  observed,  that  no  proof  of  the  plate  can  be 
obtained  till  the  whole  process  is  finished.  If  any  part  appears 
to  have  been  bit  too  dark,  it  must  be  burnished  down  with  a 
steel  burnisher  j  but  this  requires  great  delicacy  and  good 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  129 

management  not  to  make  the  shade  streaky  ;  and  as  the  beau- 
ty and  durability  of  the  grain  is  always  somewhat  injured  by 
it,  it  should  be  avoided  as  much  as  possible. 

Those  parts  which  are  not  dark  enough,  must  have  a  fresh 
grain  laid  over  them,  and  be  stopped  round  with  varnish,  arid 
subjected  again  to  the  aqua  fortis.  This  is  called  re-biting, 
and  requires  peculiar  care  and  attention,  The  plate  must  be 
very  well  cleaned  out  with  turpentine  before  the  grain  is  laid 
on,  which  should  be  pretty  coarse,  otherwise  it  will  not  lay 
upon  the  heights  only,  as  is  necessary,  in  order  to  produce 
the  same  grain.  If  the  new  grain  is  different  from  the  former, 
it  will  not  be  so  clear  nor  so  firm,  but  rotten. 

We  have  now  given  a  general  account  of  the  process  of  en- 
graving in  aqua  tinta,  and  we  believe  that  no  material  cir- 
cumstance has  been  omitted,  that  can  be  communicated  with- 
out seeing  the  operation:  but  after  all  it  must  be  confessed, 
that  no  printed  directions  whatever  can  enable  a  person  to 
practise  it  perfectly*  Its  success  depends  upon  so  many  ni- 
cities,  and  attention  to  circumstances  apparently  trifling,  that 
the  person  who  attempts  it  must  not  be  surprised  if  he  does 
not  succeed  at  first.  It  is  a  species  of  engraving  simple  and 
expeditious,  if  every  thing  goes  on  well ;  but  it  is  very,  pre- 
carious, and  the  errors  which  are  made  are  rectified  with 
great  difficulty. 

It  seems  to  be  adapted  chiefly  for  imitation  of  sketches, 
washed  drawings,  and  slight  subjects  ;  but  does  not  appear 
to  be  at  all  calculated  to  produce  prints  from  finished  pic- 
tures, as  it  is  not  susceptible  of  that  accuracy  in  the  balance 
of  tints  necessary  for  this  purpose.  Nor  does  it  appear  to  be 
suitable  for  book  plates,  as  it  does  not  print  a  sufficient  num- 
ber of  impressions.  It  is  therefore  not  to  be  put  in  compe- 
tition with  the  other  modes  of  engraving.  If  confined  to 
those  subjects  for  which  it  is  calculated,  it  must  be  allowed 
to  be  extremely  useful  ;  as  it  is  expeditious,  and  may  be  at- 
tained with  much  less  trouble  than  any  other  mode  of  en- 
graving. But  even  this  circumstance  is  a  source  of  mischiei?, 
as  it  occasions  the  production  of  a  multitude  of  prints,  that 
have  no  other  effect  than  that  of  vitiating  the  public  taste. 

Engraving  in  aqua  tint  was  invented  by  LE  PRINCE,  a 
French  artist,  who  kept  his  process  a  long  time  secret,  arid  it 
is  said  he  sold  his  prints  at  finst  as  drawings ;  but  he  appears 
to  have  been  acquainted  only  with  the  powder  grain  and  the 
common  method  of  stopping  out.  The  prints  which  he  pro* 
duced  are  still  some  of  the  finest  specimens  of  the  art.  Mr. 
PAUL  SAN  BY  was  the  first  who  practised  it  in  this  country, 
and  it  was  by  him  communicated  to  Mr.  JUKES.  It  is  now 
practised  very  generally  all  over  Europe  5  but  co  where  more 
successfully  than  in  Great  Britain, 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 


418.      ENGRAVING  ON  WOOD. 

Engraving  on  wood  is  a  process  exactly  the  reverse  to  en- 
graving on  copper.  In  the  latter,  the  strokes  to  be  printed 
are  sunk  or  cut  into  the  copper,  and  a  rolling  press  is  used 
for  printing  it  ;  but  in  engravings  on  wood,  all  the  wood  is 
cut  away,  except  the  lines  to  be  printed,  which  are  left  stand- 
ing up  like  types,  and  the  mode  cf  printing  is  the  same  as 
that  used  in  letter  press. 

The  wood  used  for  this  purpose  is  box  wood,  which  is 
planed  quite  smooth.  The  design  is  then  drawn  upon  the 
wood  itself  with  black  lead,  and  all  the  wood  is  cut  away 
with  gravers  and  other  proper  tools,  except  the  lines  that  are 
drawn,  Or  sometimes  the  design  is  drawn  upon  paper,  and 
pasted  upon  the  wood,  which  is  cut  as  before.  This  art  is 
of  considerable  difficulty,  and  there  are  very  few  who  prac- 
tise it.  Jt  is,  however,  useful  for  books,  as  the  printing  of  it 
is  cheaper  than  that  of  copper  plates.  Ic  cannot  be  applied 
equally  well  to  all  the  purposes  to  which  copper  plate  en« 
graving  is  applicable. 

419.     Method  of  painting  Japan  Work. 

Japan  work  ought  properly  to  be  painted  with  colours  ia 
varnish  ;  though,  for  the  greater  dispatch,  and  in  some  very 
nice  work  in  small,  for  the  freer  use  of  the  pencil,  the  col- 
ours are  sometimes  tempered  in  oi||  which  should  previous- 
ly have  a  fourth  part  of  its  weight  of  gum  animi  dissolved  in 
it  ;  or  in  default  of  that,  gum  sandarach,  or  gum  maitich. 
When  the  oil  is  thus  used,  it  should  be  well  diluted  with  oil 
of  turpentine,  that  the  colours  may  lay  more  evenly  and  thin  ; 
by  which  means,  fewer  of  the  polishing  or  upper  coats  of 
varnish  become  necessary. 

In  some  instances,  water  colours  are  laid  on  grounds  of 
gold,  in  the  manner  of  other  paintings  ;  and  are  best,  when 
so  used  in  their  proper  appearance,  without  any  varnish  over 
them  t  and  thejr  are  also  sometimes  so  managed  as  to  have 
the  effect  of  embossed  work.  The  colours  employed  in  this 
'  way,  for  painting,  are  best  prepared  by  means  of  isinglass 
size,  corrected  by  honey  or  sugar  candy.  The  body  of  which 
the  embossed  work  is  raised,  need  not,  however,  be  tinged 
with  the  exterior  colour,  but  may  be  best  formed  of  very 
strong  gum  water,  thickened  to  a  proper  consistence  by  bole 
Armenian  and  whiting  in  equal  parts  ;  which  being  laid  on 
the  proper  figure,  and  repaired  when  dry,  may  be  then  paint* 
ed  with  the  proper  colours,  tempered  with  the  isinglass  size^ 
or,  in  the  u^ual  manner,  with  shell-lac  varnish. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 


420.     To  male  bitter  almond  biscuits.      **, 

Pound  in  a  mortar,  three  quarters  of  a  pound  of  bitter  and 
one  quarter  of  sweet  almonds.  When  thus  pounded  have 
eight  or  nine  yolks  of  eggs,  which  beat  up  and  mix  with  your 
paste  of  ;dmonds,  and  two  pounds  of  pulverised  lump  sugar. 
This  paste  must  be  a  deal  harder  than  that  of  the  Savoy  bis- 
cuits. Then  with  the  end  of  a  knife,  taking  some  of  that  paste, 
place  it  in  rows  on  a  sheet  of  paper,  in  what  form  or  shape 
you  like,  and  ice  it  with  pulverised  sugar,  then  put  it  in  the 
the  oven  as  you  do  the  Savoy  biscuits  or  massepins. 

421.    To  purify  oil  olive,  that  it  may  be  eaten  with  plea- 
sure, 

Take  fair  water  two  quarts,  oil  olive  a  pint  :  mix  and  shake 
them  well  together  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour  in  a  glass  ;  then 
separate  the  water  from  the  oil  with  a  separating  funnel.  — 
Do  this  four  or  five  times  or  more,  as  you  see  occasion,  till 
the  oil  becomes  very  pure;  and  the  last  time  wash  it  with 
rose-water,  then  hang  in  the  midst  of  the  oil  a  coarse  bag 
full  of  bruised  nutmegs,  cloves,  and  cinnamon,  so  will  you 
give  it  an  excellent  taste. 

422.     To  make  sagey  parsley  or  pennyroyal  butter. 

When  the  butter  is  newly  made,  and  well  wrought  from 
its  water,  miik  and  wheyisn  part,  mix  therewith  a  little  oil 
of  sage  or  parsley,  so  much  till  the  butter  is  strong  enough 
in  taste  to  your  liking,  and  then  temper  them  well  together  ; 
this  will  excuse  you  from  eating  the  plants  therewith  ;  and  if 
you  do  this  with  the  aforesaid  clarified  butter,  it  will  be  far 
better,  and  a  most  admirable  rarity. 

423.     To  make  a  candle  that  shall  last  long. 

Mix  with  your  tallow  unslacked  lime  in  powder  ;  or  make 
your  candles  of  castiie-soap  :  such  candles  as  these  will  be 
admirable  for:  lamp  furnaces.  Now  it  is  the  salt  in  the  lime 
ind  soap,  that  preserves  the  tallow  from  burning  out  so  fast, 

otherwise  it  would. 

424.     To  make  the  distilled  oil  out  of  any  herb,  seed% 
flower,  or  paper  y  in  a  moment  without  a  furnace.  . 

You  must  have  a  long  pipe  made  of  tin,  or  tobacco-pipe 
:lay  with  a  hole  in  it  as  big  as  a  small  walnut,  three  or  four 
nches  from  one  end  of  it,  into  which  you  must  put  the  mat- 
er, you  would  have  the  oil  off;  set  it  on  a  fire  with  a  can* 


152  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

die  or  a  coal ;  then  put  one  end  of  the  pipe  into  a  bason  of 
fair  water,  and  blow  at  the  other  end,  so  will  the  smoak  come 
into  the  water,  and  the  oil  will  swim  upon  it,  which  you  may 
separate  with  a  funnel. 

425.     An  excellent  perfuming  powder  for  the  lair. 

Take  iris  roots  in  fine  powder  one  ounce  and  a  half,  benja- 
min, storax,  cloves,  musk,  of  each  two  drachms  :  being  all  in 
fine  powder,  mix  them  for  a  perfume  for  hair  powder.  Take 
of  this  perfume  one  drachm,  rice-flower  impalpable  one 
pound,  mix  them  for  a  powder  for  the  hair.  Note,  some  use 
white  starch,  flower  of  French  beans  and  the  like. 

426.     A  perfume  to  smoak  and  burn. 

Take  labdanum  two  ounces,  storax  one  ounce,  benjamin, 
cloves,  mace,  of  each  half  an  ounce,  musk,  civet,  of  each  ten 
grains,  all  in  fine  powder,  make  it  up  into  cakes  with  mucil- 
age of  gum  tragacanth  in  rose-water,  which  dry ;  and  keep 
amorjg  your  cloathes,  which  when  occasion  requires,  you  may 
burn  in  a  chafing  dish  of  coals. 

427.  A  remarkable  circumstance  concerning  ale ;  with 
an  unerring  method  of  brewing  malt  liquor,  that  will 
soon  be  fine  and  jit  for  drinking  ;  and  far  more  palata- 
ble and  wholesome  than  what  is  procured  from  the  too 
common ,  erroneous  way  many  brewers  follow. 

Whoever  brews,  and  expects  to  have  either  good  ale  or  beer 
will  be  sure  to  be  disappointed,  if  care  is  not  taken  to  provide 
good  malt  and  hops  ;  nor  is  the  water  made  use  of  so  very 
immaterial  an  article  as  Gome  imagine,  for  a  great  deal  de- 
pends upon  it.  What  I  have  above  advanced,  may  very 
likely  be  credited  by  many  ;  but  when  I  come  to  tell  thera, 
tkere  is  more  malt  liquor  spoiled  by  high  boiling,  than  by  all 
mismanagements  put  together,  it  is  easy  to  perceive  I  shall 
have  many  obstinate  infatuated  people  to  encounter  with, 
who  very  simply  imagine,  that  ale  or  beer,  cannot  possibly  be 
bad  which  has  had  a  four  hours  boiling.  It  is  well  known 
there  are  many  parts  of  England  remarkable  for  fine  malt 
liquors  ;  and  I  as  well  know,  that  not  one  of  the  countries 
that  have  excelled  in  either  ale  or  beer,  ever  boiled  above 
half  an  hour  at  most.  There  is,  indeed,  a  town  in  Devon- 
shire,  that  is  said  to  have  constantly  good  ale.  I  am  well  ac- 
quainted with  it ;  Barnstable  no  doubt,  has  a  strong  glutin- 
ous ale*  that  pleases  many  people ;  and  those  who  brew  I 
dare  say,  most  scandalously  boil  it,  at  least  fofr  hours.  But 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  1 33 

what  is  the  consequence  ?  Why  there  is  scarce  a  house  in  that 
place  but  affords  a  pair  or  two  of  crutches,  and  unhappy 
cripples  to  make  use  of  them.  I  must  own  people  in  England 
have  not  followed  this  pernicious  custom  so  much  of  late  years. 
They  find  they  are  gainers  by  their  reformation  :  and  many 
have  owned,  they  never  had  such  valuable  alepr  beer,  as, 
since  they  left  off  the  old  mistaken  way  of  boiling  for  three 
or  four  hours,  and  acknowledge  they  have  reduced  it  to  less 
than  a  quarter  of  that  time.  There  others  again,  who  de- 
clare, to  their  customers,  that  they  actually  boil  four  hours  ; 
•when  in  fact,  a  quarter  of  an  hour  is  the  most  they  have  boil- 
ed for  five  or  six  years  past.  I  believe  this  reformation  is 
chiefly  owing  to  some  treatises  published  concerning  brewing, 
in  which  the  pernicious  consequence  of  high  boiling  is  suffi- 
ciently displayed  and  exploded.  I  will  beg  leave  to  give  an 
instance  of  the  bad  consequences  of  long  boiling,  that  will 
be  sufficient  to  satisfy  any  person  who  practises  it,  of  their 
error.  A  gentleman  of  my  acquaintance,  in  Chester,  often 
complained  to  me,  that  he  bought  the  best  of  malt  and  hops; 
that  they  had  fine  water  from  the  river  Dee,  and  he  had  it 
constantly  boiled  full  four  hours  ;  and  yet  notwithstanding 
all  this,  he  could  not  have  either  good  ale  or  beer.  His  lady  too 
joined  in  the  complaint,  and  said,  it  would  be  a  great  satis- 
faction if  a  remedy  could  be  found,  as  many  of  the  gentle- 
men who  visited  there  preferred  a  glass  of  fine  beer  to  any 
liquor  whatever.  I  then  told  him,  if  he  would  have  a  brew- 
ing after  my  direction,  I  would  be  answerable,  that  it  would 
prove  satisfactory.  Accordingly  good  malt  and  hops  were 
provided,  and  the  water  wai  fetched  from  the  river  Dee,  as 
usual.  I  must  own  it  was  with  the  utmost  difficulty  I  pre- 
vailed on  the  man  who  brewed  to  boil  it  so  short  a  time,  who 
protested  it  would  be  good  for  nothing,  However,  I  at  length 
prevailed,  and  he  proceeded  in  the  following  manner :  the 
quantity  of  liquor  was  sixty  gallons;  and  to  put  the  thing 
quite  out  of  dispute,  and  to  prove  that  boiling  long  was  er- 
roneous, the  first  twenty  gallons  were  boiled  twenty  six  min- 
utes ;  the  second  twenty  gallons  one  hour  and  a  quarter ;  and 
the  third  and  last  twenty  gallons  full  two  hours.  In  about 
a  month,  the  three  casks  were  examined,:  that  which  was 
boiled  twenty-six  minutes,  proved  extremely  fine  and  well 
tasted,  and  gave  a  general  satisfaction.  But  the  ca>k  which 
contained  the  liquor  of  the  second  boiling,  was  very  far  from 
being  either  so  fine  or  pleasant.  'And  the  third  ca^k  which 
contained  the  last  and  Jong  boiled  liquor,  proved  very  foul, 
and  quite  disagreeable  in  many  otffer  respects.  Now  as  there 
was  no  difference  in  the  management  of  the  sixty  gallons  of 
ale  I  have  been  speaking  of,  boiling  only  excepted,  how  will 
the  advocates  for  long  boiling  malt  liquors  account  for  this  t 
N 


13*  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

the  same  malt,  hops  and  water,  tunned  at  the  same  time,  and 
hi  casks  of  the  same  size,  and  placed  in  the  same  good  cellar, 
J  have  to  add  to  this  account,  that  at  the  two  months  end,  the 
second  boiling  was  foul  and  ill  tasted,  and  was  made  fine  with 
great  difficulty.  The  last  boiling  was  very  foul  and  bad  ;  at 
the  end  of  six  months  it  was  cloudy,  ropy,  and  ill  tasted  ; 
some  attempts  were  made  in  vain,  to  fine  it ;  but  at  about  ten 
months  old,  it  was  far  worse.  The  gentleman,  who,  indeed, 
•was  too  fond  of  long  boiling,  for  many  years  before,  as  it  had 
been  often  insinuated  to  him,  that  drink  could  not  be  boiled 
too  much,  was  greatly  pleased  to  find  the  first  cask  prove  so 
exceeding  good,  with  little  boiling;  he  then  gave  orders  to 
the  man  who  brewed  for  him,  never  for  the  future  to  boil  his 
liquor  above\  twenty  minutes,  which  directions  were  strictly 
observed  :  and  it  is  now  as  uncommon  to  find  any  malt  liquor 
that  is  bad  in  his  cellars,  as  it  was  before  to  have  any  that  was 
good.  I  would  fain  know  what  it  is  boiled  for  the  length  of 
four  hours  ?  Some  tell  you,  'tis  to  get  the  goodness  out  of  the 
hops.  To  which  I  answer,  it  is  a  sad  thing  so- many  thousand 
gallons  of  malt  liquor  should  be  spoiled  every  year,  only  to 
get  goodness  (as  they  arc  pleased  to  call  it)  out  of  the  hops, 
•when  many  other  means  might  be  used  to  do  it  in  a  few  min- 
utes. Jn  one  word,  the  long  boiling  malt  liquor  has  many 
bad  properties  attending  it,  without  having  any  thing  in  its 
favour ;  for  it  renders  such  ale  too  gummy  and  sizy  to  be 
wholesome,  and  is  the  cause  of  many  becoming  cripple?, 
vsho  make  a  too  frequent  uc;e  of  those  pernicious  10r;g  boiled 
liquors:  for  the  blood, by  this  means,  becomes  too  glutinous 
to  pass  the  fine  blood  vessels  :  hence  arise  those  various  dis« 
orders!  those  pains!  those  aches  !  that  render  the  unhappy 
©ripples  not  only  a  fatigue  themselves,  but  introduce  disorders 
that  are  felt  by  future  generations.  Nor  does  the  mischief  stop 
here  (though  I  must  own  this  is  the  most  melancholy  part  of 
it)  for  whenever  such  ale  or  beer  proves  foul,  which  is  too 
commonly  the  case,  it  is  with  great  difficulty  made  fine,  and 
and  fit  for  drinking.  In  short,  those  who  once  experience 
the  great  advantage  that  will  result  from  boiling  their  liquor 
not  l«nger  than  twenty-five  or  thirty  minutes,  will  be  sure  to 
have  this  satisfaction,  that  their  ale  will  be  much  better,  plea- 
santer,  and  more  wholesome,  than  those  that  are  long  boiled  ; 
by  which  they  will  not  only  preserve  the  health  of  those  who 
drink  it,  but  also  have  more  liquor  from  the  same  quantity  of 
malt ;  which  very  likely  may  be  a  means  of  prevailing,  as 
interest  is  in  the  case,  more  than  any  .other  arguments. — 
It  is  to  be  remarked  that  all  liquor  should  be  boiled  as  nimbly 
as  possible  (so  as  not  to  make  it  run  out  of  the  boiler)  and  also 
that  the  long  stupid  way  of  boiling  for  the  goodness  of  the 
hop,  is  of  the  utmost  prejudice;  for  its  fine  flavour  will  be 
goon  extracted;  what  comes  after,  by  length  of  stewing,  is 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  135 

only  an  earthy,  heavy,  pernicious  quality,  that  will  be  sure  to 
reader  the  ale  disagreeable,  and  prove  prejudicial  to  those 

who   drink  it. Thus  much  I  have  presumed  to  say,  in 

order  to  prevent  the  pernicious  custom,  that  has  too  long  pre- 
vailed :  persons  of  reason  will  very  likely  try  the  experi- 
ment :  'tis  on  those  I  rely  and  on  whom  it  will  chiefly  depend 
to  decide,  which  method  is  best  to  pursue,  that  guided  by 
reason,  long  experience,  and  the  result  of  many  years  prac- 
tice ;  or  the  method  obstinately  pursued  by  unreasonable 
bigots,  and  a  set  of  infatuated  old  women. 

428.     Of  gliding  leather. 

Leather  may  be  gilded  for  common  occasions  by  all  the 
same  methods  which  have  been  given  for  gilding  paper  or 
velum  :  except,  that  where  the  gold  size  is  used,  there  is  no 
occasion  to  wet  the  leather,  to  prevent  the  running  of  the 
oil  out  of  the  bounds.  Either  leaf  gold  or  the  powders  may 
therefore  be  employed  as  well  for  leather  as  paper.  But,  un- 
less, in  some  fine  work,  or  for  every  particular  purposes,  the 
German  gold  powder  would  answer  as  well  as  the  true  gold. 
It  is  needless  consequently  to  repeat  here  the  methods  above 
shown  with  respect  to  the  gilding  p&per  for  covers  to  books, 
&c.  which  equally  well  suit  for  this  purpose  in  general :  but 
as  there  is  a  manner  of  gilding  leather  peculiar  to  the  book 
binders,  it  is  requisite  to  explain  it.  The  method  of  gilding 
used  by  the  book -binder,  is  to  have  the  letters  or  copartments, 
scrolls,  or  other  ornaments,  cut  in  steel  stamps  ;  not  by  sink- 
ing, as  in  most  other  cases,  but  by  the  projection  of  the  fig- 
ure from  the  ground.  These  stamps  are  made  hot ;  and  leaves 
of  gold  being  laid  on  the  parts  accommodated  to  the  pattern 
or  design  of  the  gilding,  the  hot  stamps  are  pressed  strongly 
on  the  gold  and  leather ;  and  bind  the  gold  to  it  in  the  hol- 
lows formed  by  the  stamp  :  the  other  redundant  part  of  the 
gold  being  afterwards  brushed  or  rubbed  off.  The  manner 
practised  by  the  professed  leather  gilders,  for  the  making 
hangings  for  rooms,  skreens,  &c.  is  not  properly  gilding)  but 
laquering)  being  done  by  means  of  leaf  silver,  coloured  by 
a  yellow  varnish,  on  the  same  principle  with  the  laqifered 
frames  of  pictures,  &c.  which  were  formerly  in  use.  It  is  an 
important  manufacture,  as  the  leather  ornamented  in  this 
manner,  not  only  admits  of  great  variety  of  designs  in  em- 
bossed work,  resembling  either  gilding  or  silver ;  but  also  of 
the  addition  of  paintings  of  almost  every  sort.  The  manner 
of  performing  this  kind  of  leather  gilding  is  as  follows. — 
The  skins  are  first  procured  in  a  dry  state,  after  the  common 
dressing  and  tanning.  Those  most  proper  for  this  purpose, 
are  such  as  are  of  a  firm  close  texture  ;  on  which  account, 
calf,  or  goat  skins  are  preferable  to  sheep.  But  in  tbat  condi- 


3  36  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

tion  they  are  too  hard  and  stiff  for  gilding  in  this  way.  In 
order  therefore  to  soften  them,  they  are  first  put  for  some 
hours  in  a  tub  of  water,  where  they  are,  during  such  time, 
to  be  frequently  stirred  about  with  a  strong  stick.  They  are 
then  taken  out ;  and,  being  held  by  one  corner,  beaten  against 
a  flat  stone.  They  are  next  made  smooth,  by  spreading  them 
on  the  stone,  and  rubbing  them  strongly  over  by  an  iron  in- 
strument  resembling  a  blade,  but  with  the  lower  edge  formed 
round,  and  the  upper  edge  set-  in  a  wooden  handle,  passing 
horizontally  the  whole  length  of  the  blade.  This  instrument 
the  workman  slides  on  the  surface  of  the  skin  as  it  lies  on  the 
stone,  at  the  same  time  pressing  arid  leaning  on  it  with  all 
his  weight.  When  one  of  the  skins  is  finished,  another  is 
laid  over  it,  and  treated  in  the  same  manner  ;  and  the  others 
over  that.  The  skins  being  thus  prepared,  are  joined  toge* 
ther,  to  form  pieces  of  the  size  required  for  any  particular 
purpose.  In  order  to  their  joining  properly,  they  are  cut  in- 
to a  square,  or  rather  oblong  square  form.  To  which  end,  a 
ruler  or  square  is  used,  or  the  skins  are  placed  on  a  table  or 
block,  corresponding  in  size  and  figure  to  a  wooden  print  of 
the  kind  we  shall  have  occasion  to  speak  of  below,  and  as 
xrmch  of  the  skin  is  taken  off,  as  leaves  it  of  the  form  and 
dimensions  of  the  table  or  block.  Any  defective  parts,  or 
holes  in  the  skin,  are  then  to  be  made  good  ;  which  is  done 
by  paring  away  with  a  penknife,  half  the  thickness  of  the 
skin  for  some  little  space  round  the  hole,  or  defective  part; 
putting  a  patch,  or  correspondent  piece  of  the  same  kind  of 
skin  over  it.  This  patch,  or  piece,  is  to  have  a  margin  pared 
to  have  the  thickness,  to  suit  the  pared  part  of  the  skin  ; 
and  is  then  to  be  fixed  in  its  place,  by  means  of  size  made  of 
parchment,  or  gloves  cuttings,  in  tjie  manner  described  be- 
fore. After  the  skins  are  thus  prepared,  the  next  operation 
is  the  sizing  them,  which  is  done  by  means  of  a  soft  glue,  or 
stiff  size,  that  answers  to  the  gold  size,  used  in  other  kinds  of 
gilding  or  silvering,  prepared  from  parchment,  or  glovers 
cuttings.  This  is,  in  fact,  the  same  with  that  directed  to  be 
used  for  joining  the  pieces  ;  only  it  must  be  reduced  by  a 
longev  boiling  to  a  thicker  consistence,  which  should  be  that 
^f  a  very  stiff  jelly.  To  size  a  skin  or  piece,  the  workman 
lakes  a  piece  of  the  size  of  the  bigness  of  a  nut ;  which,  how- 
ever, he  does  not  use  whole,  but  cuts  into  two  parts.  With 
cr.e  of  these  parts,  he  rubs  all  the  skin,  or  piece  of  leather, 
strongly ;  and  when  it  is,  by  this  means,  spread  over  the 
whole  surface  of  the  leather,  he  rubs  it  with  the  palm  of  his 
hand  to  disperse  it  more  equally,  and  uniformly  over  every 
part.  To  the  effecting  this  end,  the  heat  of  the  hand  contri- 
butes as  well  as  the  motion  :  as  it  melts  the  size  to  a  certain 
degree  of  fluidity,  and  renders  it  consequently  more  capable 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES,  137 

of  being  diffused  over  the  whole  surface.  The  workman  then 
leaves  the  skin  for  some  time  to  dry,  and  afterwards  spreads 
the  other  part  of  the  size  on  it,  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
first;  which  finishes  the  operation  of  sizing.  It  is  neccessary 
to  allow  some  space  of  time  betwixt  the  laying  on  the  two 
parts  of  the  size.  For  if  the  whole  was  laid  on  together  ; 
or  the  first  part  before  the  other  was  dry  to  a  certain 
degree,  the  whole  would  dissolve,  and  be  forced  forwards  be- 
fore the  hand,  instead  of  being  spread  by  it.  In  the  prose- 
cution of  this  business,  the  workman  therefore,  as  soon  as  he 
has  spread  the  first  part  of  the  size,  takes  another  skin,  and 
treats  it  in  the  same  manner  ;  which  fills  up  the  interval  of 
time,  proper  for  drying  the  first,  he  returns  then  to  that,  and 
puts  on  the  other  parts  of  the  size,  and  by  this  alternative 
treatment  of  them,  employs  the  whole  of  his  time  with- 
out any  loss,  by  waiting  till  either  be  dry.  The  side  of 
the  skin  on  which  the  hair  grew,  or  what  is  called  the  grain  of 
the  leather,  is  always  chosen  for  receiving  the  size  and  silver. 
This  is  necessary  to  be  observed :  because  that  side  is  evener, 
and  of  a  closer  texture  than  the  other.  The  skins,  being 
thus  sized,  are  ready  for  receiving  the  leaves  of  silver  :  which 
are  thus  laid  on.  The  workman,  who  silvers  them,  stands  be- 
fore a  table  ;  on  which  he  spreads  two  skins  before  they  are 
dry  after  the  sizing.  On  the  same  table,  on  the  right  hand, 
he  puts  also  a  large  book  of  leaf  silver  on  a  board,  which  near 
one  end  of  it  has  a  peg  sufficiently  Jong  to  raise  it  in  such 
manner,  as  to  make  it  slope  like  a  writing  desk.  The  book 
being  thus  placed,  he  takes  out  one  by  one  the  leaves  of  silver, 
and  lays  them  on  the  skin  previously  sized  as  above.  This  he 
does  by  means  of  a  small  pair  of  pincers,  formed  by  two  lit- 
tle rods  of  wood  fastened  together  at  one  end,  and  glued  to 
a  small  piece  of  wood  cut  into  the  form  of  a  triangle,  intend- 
ed to  keep  the  ends  of  the  two  rods  at  a  distance  from  each 
other ;  and  to  make  them  answer  the  purpose,  when  pressed 
by  the  fingers,  of  taking  hold  of  the  leaves  of  silver.  On  the 
side  of  the  piece  in  which  the  rods  are  joined  to  form  the  pin- 
cers, there  is  put  a  kind  of  tuft,  or  small  brush,  of  an  irregu- 
lar form,  made  of  foxes,  or  any  other  kind  of  soft  hair.  With 
these  pincers,  the  workman  takes  hold  of  one  of  the  leaves 
in  the  book,  and  puts  it  on  a  piece  of  cartoon,  larger  than 
the  leaf,  of  a  figure  nearly  square  ;  and  which  has  the  cor- 
ners of  the  end,  that  is  to  be  placed  in  the  hand  of  the  work- 
man, bent.  This  piece  of  cartoon  is  called  a  pallet.  The 
workman  takes  it  in  his  left  hand,  and,  having  put  on  it  a  leaf 
of  silver,  he^turns  it  downward ;  and  lets  the  leaf  fail  on  the 
skin,  spreading  it  as  much  as  he  can,  and  bringing,  as  near  as 
possible,  the  sides  of  it,  to  be  parallel  to  those  of  the  square 
of  leather,  or  skin.  If  it  happen,  that  any  part  of  it  gets 
N  3 


138  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES, 

double,  or  is  not  duly  spread,  he  sets  it  right ;  raises  it  some» 
times,  and  puts  it  in  its  place,  or  rubs  it  gently  with  the  kind 
of  bru;h,  or  hair  pencil  which  is  at  the  end  of  the  pincers. 
But  most  generally,  the  workman  only  lets  the  leaf  fall  in  its 
place,  spread  out  on  the  surface  of  the  leather,  without  either 
touching  or  pressing  it ;  except  in  the  case  we  shall  mention 
below.  After  he  has  done  with  this  leaf,  he  lays  a  new  one 
in  the  same  line,  and  continues  the  same  till  such  line  be  com- 
plete. He  then  begins  close  to  the  edge  of  this  row  of  leaves, 
and  forms  another  in  the  same  manner ;  and  goes  on  thus,  till 
the  whole  skin  be  entirely  covered  with  the  leaf  silver.  This 
work  is  very  easily  and  readily  performed ;  as  the  leaves,  which 
are  of  a  square  form,  are  put  on  a  plain  surface,  which  is  also 
rectangular.  The  skin  being  thus  covered  with  the  silver,  the 
\vorkman,  takes  a  fox's  tail,  made  into  the  form  of  a  ball  at  the 
end,  and  uses  it  to  settle  the  leaves,  by  pressing  and  striking 
them,  to  make  them  adhere  to  the  size,  and  adopt  them- 
selves exactly  to  the  places  they  are  to  cover.  He  afterwards 
rubs  the  whole  surface  gently  with  the  tail,  without  striking, 
•which  is  done  to  take  off  the  loose  and  redundant  parts  of  the 
silver,  and  at  the  same  time  to  move  them  to  those  places  of  the 
surface,  where  there  was  before  any  defect  of  the  silver ; 
and  where,  consequently,  the  size  being  bare,  these  will  now 
take.  The  rest  of  the  loose  silver  is  brushed  forwards  to  the 
end  of  the  table,  where  a  bag,  or  linen  cloth  is  placed  to  re- 
ceive it. 

The  skins,  when  they  are  thus  silvered,  are  hung  to  dry  on 
cords,  fixed  by  the  ends  to  opposite  walls,  at  such  height  as 
to  suspend  the  skins  out  of  the  way  of  the  workman.  To 
hang  them  on  these  cords,  a  kind  of  cross  is  used,  formed  of 
a  strong  stick,  with  a  shorter  piece  of  the  same  fixed  cross- 
wise at  the  end  of  it ;  over  which  the  skin  being  hung  ^with- 
out  any  doubling  and  with  the  silvered  side  outwards,  it  is  con- 
veyed and  transferred  to  the  cord  in  the  same  state.  The  skins 
are  to  dry  in  this  condition,  a  longer  or  shorter  time,  accord- 
Ing  to  the  season  and  the  weather.  In  summer,  four  or  five 
hours  is  sufficient ;  or  those  skins  which  have  been  silvered 
in  the  morning,  may  remain  till  the  evening,  and  those  in  the 
evening,  till  next  morning.  But  in  winter  a  longer  time  is  re- 
quired, according  to  the  state  of  the  weather.  There  is  no 
occasion,  nevertheless,  to  wait  till  they  be  entirely  dry.  As 
they  may  be  put  in  any  back  yard  or  garden  exposed  to  the 
wind,  and  the  heat  of  the  sun.  For  this  purpose  they  should  be 
put  over  two  boards  joined  together,  where  they  must  be  kept 
stretched  out  by  means  of  some  nails.  But  in  this  case,  the 
silvered  side  must  be  next  the  boards,  in  order  to  prevent  any 
dirt  from  falling  on  it,  and  sticking  to  the  size,  which  would 
hinder  their  taking  well  the  buuusfy  that  will  be  mentioned 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  133 

below.  The  heat,  and  the  dryness  of  the  air,  must  deter- 
mine,  also,  the  time  of  their  hanging  in  this  state;  but,  ex. 
perience  alone  can  teach  how  to  judge  of  this  point.  It  is 
proper  the  skin  should  be  free  from  moisture ;  but  yet,  they 
should  retain  all  their  softness  ;  in  summer  this  will  happen 
In  a  few  hours,  and  they  will  be  then  in  a  condition  to  be 
burnished.  The  burnisher  which  is  used  for  this  purpose,  is 
a  flint,  of  which  various  figures  may  be  allowed,  and  which 
must  be  mounted  differently  with  a  handle,  according  to  the 
difference  of  the  figure.  A  cylindrical  form  is  often  chosen, 
in  which  case,  one  of  the  ends  should  be  of  a  round  figure, 
of  about  an  inch  and  a  half  diameter,  and  have  the  surface  ex- 
tremely smooth  ;  as  the  polishing  is  performed  with  this  sur- 
face. The  flint  is  fixed  in  the  middle  of  a  piece  of  wood  of 
a  foot  length,  the  whole  of  which  length  is  necessary  to  its 
serving  as  a  handle  ;  or  the  workman  takes  hold  of  it  at 
each  end,  with  each  of  hh  hands,  those  parts  being  round- 
ish, and  the  middle  being  left  of  a  greater  thickness,  in  order 
to  admit  of  a  hole  of  a  proper  depth  for  receiving  the^  flint, 
so  as  to  keep  it  quite  firm  and  steady.  All  the  art  required 
in  the  manner  of  burnishing  is,  to  rub  the  leaf  silver  strong- 
ly ;  for  which  purpose,  the  workman  applies  both  hands  to 
the  burnisher,  dwelling  longer  on  those  parts  which  appear 
most  dull.  In  order  to  perform  this  operation,  the  skin  is  pnt 
and  spread  even  on  a  smooth  stone  of  a  requisite  size,  placed 
on  a  table,  where  it  may  be  so  firm  and  steady,  as  to  bear  all 
the  force  of  pressure  the  workman  can  give  in  sliding  the  bur- 
nisher backwards  and  forwards  over  every  part  of  the  skin. 
It  would  save  a  great  deal  of  labour  to  employ,  instead  ot 
this  method  of  burnishing,  that  used  by  the  polishers  of  glass, 
and  also  by  the  card  makers.  This  method  consists  in  fixing 
the  burnisher  at  the  of  a  strong  crooked  stick,  of  which,  the 
other  end  is  fastened  to  the  ceiling.  The  stick  being  so  dis- 
posed, as  to  act  as  a  spring,  of  which  the  force  bears  on  the 
skin,  it  exempts  the  workman  from  this  part  of  the  labour, 
and  leaves  him  only  that  of  sliding  the  burnishers  along  the 
skin,  in  the  directions  the  polishing  requires.  The  objections 
to  this  method  are,  that  some  parts  of  the  skin  require  a  grea» 
ter  pressure  than  others,  and  that  sometimes  dirt  sticking  to 
the  size,  which  passes  through  the  joining  of  the  silver,  will 
scratch  the  work,  if  the  workman  in  going  along  did  not  see 
and  remove  it,  which  he  cannot  so  well  do  in  using  the  spring 
burnisher.  But  certainly,  these  inconveniencies  have  obvious 
remedies,  when  they  are  understood.  The  using  the  spring 
burnisher  for  the  greatest  part  of  the  work,  does  not  prevent 
taking  the  aid  of  the  common  one  for  finishing,  if  any  parts, 
that  appear  imperfectly  polished,  shall  render  it  necessary ; 
and  the  workman  may  well  afford  the  trouble  of  examining 


H©  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES, 

the  skin,  and  cleansing  it  thoroughly,  by  the  labour  he  will  * 
save  in  this  way ;  or,  perhaps,  it  is  always  best  to  do  this  of- 
fice, before  any  kind  of  polishing  be  begun,  rather  than  to 
leave  it  to  be  done  during  the  polishing.  In  some  manufac- 
tures, the  burnishing  is  performed,  by  passing  the  silvered  skins 
betwixt  two  cylindrical  rollers  of  steel,  with  polished  faces. 
Jf  this  be  well  executed,  it  must  give  a  considerable  brilliance 
to  the  silver,  and  take  away  all  those  warpings  and  inequali- 
ties in  the  leather,  which  tend  to  render  the  silvered  surface 
less  equal  and  shining.  The  skins  or  leather,  being  thus  sil- 
vered and  burnished,  are  now  prepared  to  receive  the  yellow 
Jaqucr  or  varnish,  which  gives  the  appearance  of  gilding.  The 
perfection  of  this  work  depends,  obviously, Tn  a  great  degree, 
on  the  colour,  and  other  qualities  of  the  composition  used  as 
such  varnish  ;  for  which  different  artists  in  this  way  have  dif- 
ferent recipes  ;  each  pretending,  in  general,  that  his  town  is 
best,  and  making  consequently  a  secret  of  it.  The  following 
is,  however,  at  least  equal  to  any  hitherto  used  ;  and  may  be 
prepared  without  any  difficulty,  except  some  little  nicety  in 

the  boiling, *"  Take  of  fine  white  resin  four  pounds  and 

a  half;  of  common  resin  the  same  quantity  ;  of  gum  sanda- 
rac  two  pounds  and  a  half,  and  of  aloes  two  pounds.  Mix 
them  together,  after  having  bruised  those  which  are  in  great 
pieces  ;  and  put  them  into  an  earthen  pot,  over  a  good  fire 
made  of  charcoal,  or  over  any  other  fire  where  there  is  no 
flame.  Melt  all  the  ingredients  in  this, manner,  stirring  them 
•well  with  a  spatula,  that  they  may  be  thoroughly  mixed  to- 
gether, and  be  prevented  also  from  sticking  to  the  bottom  of 
the  pot.  When  they  are  perfectly  melted  and  mixed,  add 
gradually  to  them,  seven  pints  of  linseed  oil,  and  stir  the 
whole  well  together  with  the  spatula.  Make  the  whole  boil, 
stirring  it  all  the  time,  to  prevent  a  kind  of  sediment,  that 
will  form,  from  sticking  to  the  bottom  of  the  veesel.  When 
the  varnish  is  almost  sufficiently  boiled,  add  gradually,  half 
an  ounce  of  lithrage,  or  half  an  ounce  of  red  lead  ;  and  when 
they  are  dissolved,  pass  the  varnish  through  a  linen  cloth,  or 
flannel  bag." 

The  time  of  boiling  such  a  quantity  of  varnish,  may  be 
in  general  about  seven  or  eight  hours.  But  as  the  force  of 
the  heat,  and  other  circumstances,  may  vary,  it  does  not  per- 
mit of  any  precise  rule.  The  means  of  judging  of  this,  is  by 
taking  a  little  quantity  out  of  the  pot,  with  a  silver  spoon,  or 
other  such  instrument,  and  touching  it  with  the  finger ; 
when,  if  the  varnish  appear,  on  cooling,  of  the  consistence 
of  a  thick  syrup,  become  soon  after  ropy,  and  then  drying, 
glue  the  fingers  together,  and  give  a  shining  appearance ;  it 
may  be  concluded,  the  time  of  boiling  is  sufficient.  But  if 
these  signs  are  found  wanting,  the  contrary  must  be  inferred  $ 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.          141 

and  the  boiling  must  be  continued  till  they  do  arise.  When 
the  quantity  of  ingredients  is  diminished,  the  time  of  boiling 
may  be  also  contracted.  A  pint  of  oil,  and  a  correspondent 
proportion  of  fine  resin  and  aloes,  has  produced  a  varnish 
perfectly  good  in  an  hour  and  a  half.  In  this  process,  it  is 
very  necessary  to  have  a  pot,  that  will  not  be  half  filled  with 
all  the  ingredients  ;  and  also  to  guard  with  the  greatest  cau- 
tion against  any  flame  coming  near  the  top  of  the  pot,  or  the 
vapour,  which  rises  from  it  during  the  boiling.  For  it  is  of 
so  combustible  a  nature,  it  would  immediately  take  fire ;  and 
the  ingredients  themselves  would  burn  in  such  a  manner,  as 
would  not  only  defeat  the  operation,  but  occasion  the  haz- 
ard of  other  inconveniences.  The  varnish  thus  prepared,  at- 
tains a  brown  appearance  ;  but,  when  spread  on  silver,  gives 
it  a  colour  greatly  similar  to  that  of  gold.  Jf,  however,  it 
should  not  be  found,  after  this  proceeding,  that  the  force  of 
yellow  was  sufficiently  strong,  an  addition  of  more  aloes, 
must  be  made  before  the  boiling  be  discontinued.  Care  must 
be  taken,  nevertheless,  in  doing  this,  not  to  throw  in  a  large 
lump  at  once ;  because  such  an  effervescence  is  excited,  in 
that  case,  as  would  endanger  the  varnish  rising  over  the  edge 
of  the  vessel,  and  producing  a  flame,  that  would  instantly 
make  the  whole  take  fire.  On  the  other  hand,  if  the  varnish 
seem  too  strong  of  the  colour,  sandaric  must  be  added  with 
the  same  precaution,  which  increasing  the  quantity  of  varnish, 
will  dilute  the  colour.  The  laying  the  laquer,  or  varnish 
on  the  silvered  leather,  is  performed  in  the  open  air :  and 
should  be  done  in  summer,  when  it  is  hot  and  dry.  It  is  thus 
performed :  The  skins  are  again  to  be  stretched  and  fastened 
with  nails  to  the  same  boards  on  which  they  were  before  fix- 
ed to  complete  the  drying  after  the  silvering  ;  but  with  this 
difference,  that  the  silvered  side  must  be  outwards.  Eighty 
or  twenty  skins  may  be  treated  thus  at  the  same  time  ;  there 
being  two  or  three  on  each  board.  All  the  boards  should  be 
then  ranged  on  tressels  parallel  to  each  other,  in  such  manner, 
that  all,  both  of  them  and  the  skins,  may  be  close  to  each 
other.  Every  thing  being  thus  prepared,  the  principal  work- 
man spreads  some  of  the  white  of  eggs  over  each  skin.  The 
use  of  this  is  to  fill  up  small  inequalities  in  the  surface  of  the 
skin  ;  and  to  prevent  the  varnish  passing  through  the  inter- 
stices of  the  silver,  and  being  absorbed  by  the  leather.  Some 
omit  this ;  and  with  advantage,  if  these  inconveniencies 
could  be  avoided  without  it ;  as  it  renders  the  varnish  more 
apt  to  crack  and  peel  off  the  silver.  But  where  it  is  omitted, 
the  varnish  should  be  of  a  thicker  consistence  ;  the  surface  of 
the  leather  of  a  firm  dense  texture  ;  and  the  leaves  of  silver 
of  a  greater  thickness  than  the  common.  When  the  white  of 
eggs  is  dry?  the  workman  who  lays  on  the  varnish  sets  it  on 


142  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

the  table  before  him  in  a  pot ;  being,  as  before  directed,  pret- 
ty near  the  consistence  of  a  thick  syrup.  He  then  dips  the 
four  fingeis  of  one  of  his  hands  in  the  varnish  ;  and  uses 
them  as  a  pencil  to  spread  it  on  the  skin.  In  doing  this,  he 
holds  the  fingers  at  a  small  but  equal  distance  from  each  other, 
and  putting  the  ends  of  them  on  the  skin  near  one  of  the 
edges  of  it ;  and  he  then  moves  his  hands  so,  that  each  finger 
paints  a  kind  of  5  with  the  varnish,  from  one  end  of  the  skirt 
to  the  other.  He  afterwards  dips  his  fingers  again  in  the  var- 
nisl},  and  repeats  the  same  operation  again  on  the  next  part 
of  the  skin,  till  the  whole  be  gone  over  in  the  same  manner. 
This  might  be  done  with  a  pencil  or  proper  brush  ;  but  the 
workman  finds  the  using  the  fingers  only,  to  be  the  readiest 
method  for  distributing  the  varnish  equally  over  the  skin. — 
After  the  varnish  is  thus  laid  on  the  skin,  it  is  to  be  spread  ; 
which  is  still  done  by  the  hand  solely.  The  method  is  to  rub 
the  fiat  of  the  open  hand  over  every  part  of  the  skin  on  which 
the  varnish  has  been  put  by  the  fingers,  and  by  that  means  dif- 
fuse it  evenly  over  every  part.  After  this,  it  is  to  be  immediate- 
ly beaten  by  strokes  of  the  palms  of  the  hands,  which  are  to 
be  frequently  repeated  on  every  part  in  general,  but  in  a 
greater  degree  on  those  places  where  the  varnish  appears  to  lie 
thicker  than  on  the  rest ;  and  in  doing  this,  both  hands  are, 
for  dispatch,  employed  at  the  same  time.  When  this  opera- 
tion is  finished,  the  skins  are  still  to  be  left  on  the  boards 
where  they  were  stretched  and  nailed ;  and  those  boards  are, 
therefore,  either  continued  till  that  time  on  the  tressels  where 
the  varnish  was  put  on  the  skin;  or,  if  they  be  wanted  for  fresh 
skins,  taken  off,  and  fixed  up  against  the  wall  of  the  place, 
or  any  other  proper  support.  The  time  of  drying  depends 
of  course  on  the  heat  of  the  sun  and  weather ;  but  at  a  sea- 
sonable time  does  not  exceed  a  few  hours.  It  is  to  be  known, 
as  to  each  particular  parcel  of  skins,  by  examining  them 
with  the  finger.  If  on  touching  them,  they  be  found 
free  from  any  stickiness,  or,  in  the  style  of  workmen,  tacki- 
ness, or  that  the  finger  makes  no  impression  on  the  varnish, 
they  may  be  concluded  sufficiently  dry  ;  and  the  contrary, 
when  they  are  found  to  be  otherwise.  This  coat  of  varnish  be- 
ing dry,  the  skins  are  to  be  again  put  on  the  tressels  as  before, 
and  another  coat  laid  on  exactly  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
first.  In  doing  this,  examination  must  be  made,  whether  any 
of  the  skins  appear  stronger  or  weaker  coloured  than  the  oth- 
ers; in  order  that  the  defect  may  be  now  remedied,  by  making 
this  coat  thicker  or  thinner,  as  may  appear  necessary.  When 
this  coat  is  dry,  the  varnishing  for  producing  the  appearance 
of  gilding  is  completed  ;  and  if  it  has  been  well  performed, 
the  leather  will  have  a  very  fine  gold  colour,  with  a  consider- 
able degree  of  polish  or  brightness.  When  there  is  an  inten- 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  143 

tion  to  have  one  part  of  the  leather  silver,  and  the  other  gold, 
a  pattern  is  formed  on  the  surface,  by  printing,  chalking, 
or  stamping  a  design  on  the  surface  after  the  silvering.  The 
skin  is  then  to  be  varnished,  as  if  the  whole  were  intended  to 
be  gold  ;  but  after  the  last  coat,  instead  of  drying  the  varnish, 
it  is  to  be  immediately  taken  off  that  part  which  is  intended 
to  be  silver,  according  to  the  design  printed  or  chalked  upon 
it,  by  a  knife  ;  with  which  the  workman  scrapes  off  '11  that 
he  can  without  injuring  the  silver,  and  afterwards  by  a  linen 
cloth,  with  which  all  that  remains  is  endeavoured  to  be  wiped 
or  rubbed  off.  The  skins,  being  thus  silvered  and  varnished, 
are  made  the  ground  of  various  designs  for  embossed  work 
and  painting.  The  embossed  worker  relief  is  raised  by  means 
of  printing  with  a  rolling  press,  such  as  is  used  for  copper 
plates ;  but  the  design  is  here  to  be  engraved  on  wood.  The 
painting  may  be  of  any  kind  ;  but  oil  is  principally  used,  as 
being  durable  and  most  easily  performed.  There  is  nothing 
more  necessary  in  this  case,  than  in  painting  on  other  grounds, 
except  that,  where  varnish  or  water  is  used,the  surface  be  clean 
from  any  oily  or  greasy  matter. 

429.     Sy  mpathetic  powder. 

The  composition  of  the  famous  sympathetic  powder,  used 
at  Gossilaer  by  the  miners  in  all  their  wounds,  is  this.  Take 
of  green  vitriol,  eight  ounces  ;  of  gum  tragacanth,  reduced 
to  an  impalpable  powder,  one  ounce :  mix  these  together, 
and  let  a  small  quantity  of  the  powder  be  sprinkled  on  the 
wound,  and  it  immediately  stops  bleeding.  The  vitriol  is 
to  be  calcined  to  .whiteness  in  the  sun,  before  it  is  mixed  with 
the  gum. 

430.  The  virtues  of  a  crust  of  bread y  eat  in  a  morning 
fasting  ;  published  by  an  eminent  physician. 

In  the  above  treatise,  (which  sells  for  3s,  9d  )  the  author 
only  asserts,  that  a  great  many  obstinate  disorder*:,  are  cured 
by  this  simple  remedy  ;  and  gives  many  instances  of  its^great 
efficacy  in  thefollowing  cases,  viz.  king's  evil,  cachexies,  scur- 
vies, leprosies,  rheumatic  complaints,  &c.  The  author  orders 
about  half  an  ounce  of  hard  crust,  or  sea  biscuit,  to  be  eat 
every  morning  fasting,  for  five  or  six  weeks  ;  and  nothing  to 
be  taken  after  it  in  less  than  three  or  four  hours. 

431.  To  purify  butter^  and  make  it  of  a  most  sweet  taste, 

Melt  butter  with  a  slow  fire  in  a  well  glazed  earthen  vessel 
which  put  to  fair  water,  working  them  well  together,  and 
when  it  is  cold  take  away  the  curds  and  the  whey  at  the  bot* 


H4  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

torn.  Do  it  again  the  second  time,  and  if  you  please,  the 
third  time  in  rose-water,  always  working  them  very  well  to- 
gether.  The  butter  thus  clarified  will  be  as  sweet  in  taste,  as 
the  marrow  of  any  beast,  and  keep  a  long  time,  by  reason  of 
the  great  impurity  which  is  removed  by  this  means,  the  dros» 
being  near  a  quarter  of  the  whole. 

432.     To  whiten  wax. 

Melt  it  in  a  pipkin  without  boiling.  Then  take  a  wood- 
en pestle,  which  steep  in  the  wax  two  fingers  deep,  and  plunge 
immediately  into  cold  water  to  loosen  the  wax  from  it,  which 
will  come  off  like  sheets  of  paper.  When  you  have  got  all 
your  wax  out  of  the  pipkin  and  made  into  flakes,  put  it  on  a 
clean  towel,  and  expose  it  in  the  air  on  the  grass  till  it  is  white. 
Then  melt  it  and  strain  it  through,  a  muslin  to  take  all  the 
dirt  out  of  it,  if  there  be  any. 

433.     To  make  white  green  ivory. 

Boil  the  Ivory  in  water  and  quick  lime,  till  you  see  it  of  a 
good  colour. 

434.     Fine  Glue. 

Ising-glass  and  common  glue  soaked  over  night  in  good 
brandy  ;  then  dissolve  them  over  a  cool  fire,  and  mix  with  it 
a  Jittle  powdered  chalk. 

435.     Tortoise  shell  of  horn. 

Take  good  aquafortis,  two  ounces  fine  silver,  one  drachm  ; 
let  the  silver  dissolve,  and,  after  you  have  spotted  your  horn 
with  wax,  strike  the  solution  all  over  it,  let  it  dry  of  itself,  the 
colour  will  be  brown  or  black. 

435.     A  mixture  which  may  be  used  for  making  impres» 
sions  of  any  kind,  and  will  grow  as  hard  as  a  stone. 

Take  fine  clean  sifted  ashes,  and  fine  piaister  of  paris,  of 
each  an  equal  quantity  ;  and  temper  the  mixture,  with  parch- 
ment <ize,  knead  it  together,  and  press  it  down  in  your 
moulds. — You  may  mix  it  with  what  colour  you  please. 

436.     75?  impress  figures  in  imitation  of  porcelain. 

Calcined  and  fine  pulverised  egg  shells,  worked  with  gum- 
arabic  and  the  white  of  eggs  into  a  dough,  pressed  in  the 
mould  and  dried  ia  the  sun. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  1 45 

437.     To  prepare  a  mould  that  need  not  to  be  heated  to 
cast  metal  in. 

Take  fine  sand,  such  as  the  goldsmiths  use,  mix  it  with 
lamp  black,  as  much  as  you  think  proper,  temper  it  with  rope 
or  lintseed  oil.  Let  your  sand  be  very  dry. 

438.     Wafers. 

Take  fine  flour,  mix  it  with  glair  of  eggs,  isinglass  and 
a  little  yeast ;  mingle  the  materials;  beat  them  well  together? 
spread  the  butter,  being  made  thin  with  gum  water,  on  even 
tin  plates,  and  dry  them  in  a  stove,  then  cut  them  out  for 
use. 

439.     A  gold  colour  on  tin  or  lead. 

Take  saffron,  as  much  as  you  will,  and  put  it  into  a  strong 
gum  water ;  add  to  it  a  third  part  of  vinegar  and  let  it  soak 
over  night ;  then  mix  it  with  a  little  clarified  honey.  Stir  it 
well  together,  and  let  it  boil  till  it  is  of  the  consistence  of 
honey,  strain  it  through  a  cloth,  and  it  is  fit  for  use. 

440.     A  water  to  tin  all  sorts  of  melals,  but  especially 
Iron* 

Take  one  ounce  of  fine  pounded  sal-ammoniac,  and  put  it 
into  very  sour  vinegar;  and  when  you  would  tin  iron,  wash  it 
first  with  this  vinegar  and  strew  beaten  rosin  over  it,  dip  it 
into  the  melted  tin  and  it  will  come  out  with  a  fine  bright 
lustre. 

441.     To  tnake  t inflow  easy. 

Take  rosin  and  saltpetre,  of  each  an  equal  qnantity,  beat 
them  to  powder  and  strew  them  upon  the  tin  when  in  fu- 
sion, 

442.  Solder  for  tin. 

Tin  and  lead,  each  one  ounce,  bismuth  two  ounces,  melt 
these  and  cast  them  thin. 

443.  To  solder  horn  • 

Take  two  pieces  of  horn,  made  on  purpose  to  meet  togeth- 
er, either  for  handles  of  knives  or  razors,  or  any  thing  else, 
lay  foils  of  what  colour  you  please  on  the  inside  of  one  of  the 
horns,  then  fix  the  other  piece  on  it,  lay  a  wet  linen  fillet 
twice  doubled,  over  the  edges  j  and  with  a  hot  iron  rub  it 


JAQ          SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

over,  and  it  will  close  and  join  together  as  if  made  in  one 
piece. 

444.     Spittle  glue. 

"Take  two  ounces  isinglass,  half  an  ounce  of  sugar-candy,  half 
a  drachm  gum  tragant,  then  take  half  an  ounce  of  white  parch- 
ment, pour  on  it  a  pint  of  water  and  let  it  boil  well ;  take 
that  water  and  strain  it  through  a  cloth,  and  pour  it  over  the 
other  two  ingredients,  mixed  with  a  little  rose  water;  let  it 
boil  away  above  half,  then  take  it  off  the  fire,  and  cast  it  ill 
little  flat  sticks,  or  any  shape  you  please. 

445.     A  good  'water  cement. 

Take  one  part  of  red  lead,  two  parts  of  lime,  mix  them 
well  together,  with  whites  of  eggs. 

446.     To  etch  upon  either  knives  or  sword  Hades.     To 
prepare  the  etch  'water. 

Take  mercury  and  aquafortis,  put  them  together  into  a 
glass,  till  the  mercury  is  consumed,  and  it  is  fit  for  use. 

447.     To  make  the  ground. 

Take  three  ounces  of  red  lead,  one  ounce  of  white  lead, 
half  an  ounce  of  chalk,  all  finely  powdered,  grind  these  to- 
gether with  varnish,  and  annoint  your  iron  therewith  ;  let  it 
4ry  in  the  sun,  or  before  a  slow  fire ;  and  with  a  needle  draw 
or  write  with  what  you  please,  then  etch  it  with  the  above 
prepared  water. 

448.    To  etch  a  great  number  of  knives  together.   , 

Grind  red  lead  with  lintseed  oil  or  varnibh,  with  this  wipe 
your  blades  all  over,  let  them  dry  well  and  harden  ;  then 
draw  on  them  what  you  please,  and  put  them  at  some  distance 
from  each  other,  into  a  glazed  pot ;  dissolve  some  vitriol  in 
hot  water, pour  it  over  the  blades  and  lute  the  pot;  set  it  on 
&  gentle  cool  fire,  and  let  it  boil  for  sometime,  and  then  let  it 
cool ;  then  take  your  blades  out,  scrape  the  red  lead  off,  and 
you  will  have  the  etching  to  your  satisfaction. 

449.     To  make  Hue  letters  on  sword  blades. 

Take  the  blade,  hold  it  over  a  charcoal  fire,  till  it  is  blue  ; 
then  with  oil  colours  write  upon  the  blade  what  you  please  ; 
let  them  dry,  and  when  dry,  take  good  strong  vinegar  ;  make 


S&CR&TS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  ta 

it  warm,  and  pour  it  all  over  the  blade :  this  will  take  off  the 
blue  colour;  then  wet  your  oil  colours  with  fresh  water,  and 
it  will  come  off'  easily,  and  the  letters  remain  blue. 

450.     To  make  pewter  white. 

Melt  tin  in  an  iron  pan,  strew  eoiopHni,  or  rosin.-  with  fine 
wheat  flower  mixed  together  into  it,  and  stir  k  £tv  ijf  .bout ; 
this  takes  off  the  blackness,  and  makes  it  of  a  fr(c  TV  nit  2  col- 
our; if  you  would  have  it  hard,  add  to  each  p-uirni  of  tin 
one  or  two  ounces  of  pulverised  regulus  of  antimony  and 
veneris :  this  makes  it  white,  hard,  and  gives  it  a  cfer  sound; 

451.     To  cast  wood  in  moulds  as  fine  as  Ivory. 

Take  fine  sawdust,  of  lime-tree  wood,  and  put  it  into  a 
clean  pan,  tie  it  close  up  with  paper  and  let  it  dry  by  a  gentle 
heat ;  then  beat  it  in  a  stone  mortar  to  a  fine  powder  ;  sift  it 
through  a  cambric  ;  keep  it  from  dust,  then  take  one  pound 
of  fine  parchment  glue,  the  finest  gum  adragant,  and  gum  ara- 
bic,  of  each  four  ounce:?,  let  it  boil  in  clear  pump  water,  and 
fiitreit  through  a  clean  rag  ;  then  put  into  it  of  the  said  pow- 
der of  wood;  stir  it  till  it  becomes  of  the  substance  of  a  thick 
paste,  and  set  it  in  a  glazed  pan  in  a  hot  sand;  stir  it  well  to- 
gether and  let  the  rest  of  the  moisture  evaporate  till  it  be  fit 
for  casting  ;  then  pour  or  mix  your  colours  with  the  paste, 
and  put  in  oil  of  clover  or  roses,  or  the  like,  to  give  it  a 
scent  ;  you  may  put  in  a  little  beaten  amber.  Your  mould 
may  be  pewter  or  brass;,  anoint  it  with  oil  of  almonds;  let  it 
stand  three  or  four  days  to  dry  ;  it  will  be  as  hard  as  ivory. 

452.      White  Famish  Jor  Clock  Faces,  fcrV. 

Take  of  spirits  of  wine  (highly  rectified)  one  pint,  which 
divide  into  four  parts  ;  then  mix  one  part  with  half  an  ounce 
of  gum  mastich,  in  a  phial  by  itself;  one  part  of  spirits,  and 
half  an  ounce  of  gum  sandarach  in  another  phial ;  one  part 
of  spirit*,  and  half  an  ounce  of  the  whitest  parts  of  gum-ben- 
jamin. Then  mix  and  temper  them  to  your  mind.  It 
would  not  be  amiss  to  add  a  little  bit  of  white  resin,  or  clear 
Venice  turpentine,  in  the  mastich  bottle  ;  it  will  assist  in  giv- 
ing a  gloss.  If  your  varnish  prove  too  strong  and  thick,  add 
spirits  of  wine  only  ;  if  too  hard,  some  dissolved  mastich  ;  if 
too  soft,  some  sandarach  or  benjamin.  No  other  rule  can  be 
given,  unless  the  quality  of  the  gums  and  the  spirits  could  be 
ascertained.  When  you  have  brought  it  to  a  proper  temper, 
warm  the  silvered  plate  before  the  fire  (if  a  clock  face,  taking 
care  not  to  melt  the  wax,)  and  with  a  flat  camei's-hair  pen- 
cil, stroke  it  all  over  until  no  white  streaks  appear.  This 
will  preserve  silvering  many  years. 


148  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 


453.     Of  the  nature  of  Japan  Grounds. 

When  a  priming  is  used,  the  work  should  first  be  prepared 
by  being  well  smoothed  with  fish  skin  or  glass  paper,  and  be- 
ine:  made  thoroughly,  clean,  should  be  brushed  over  once  or 
twice  with  hot  size,  diluted  with  two  thirds  water,  if  it  is  of 
the  common  strength.  The  priming  should  then  be  laid  on 
as  even  as  possible,  and  should  be  formed  of  a  size,  of  a  con- 
sistency  between  the  common  kind  and  glue,  mixed  with  as 
much  whiting  a&wilJ  give  it  a  sufficient  body  of  colour  to 
hide  the  surface  of  whatever  it  is  laid  upon,  but  not  more. 
This  must  be  repeated  till  the  inequalities  are  completely  fill- 
ed up,  and  then  the  work  must  be  cleaned  off  with  Dutch 
rushes,  and  polished  with  a  wet  rag. 

When  wood  or  leather  is  to  be  japanned,  and  no  priming 
is  used,  the  best  preparation  ia  to  lay  two  or  three  coats  of 
coarse  varnish,  composed  in  the  following  manne  „  — 

Take  of  rectified  spirits  of  wine  one  pint,  and  of  coarse 
seed-lac  and  resin,  each  two  ounces ;  dissolve  the  seed-lac 
and  resin  in  the  spirit,  and  then  strain  off  the  varnish. 

This  varnish,  as  well  as  all  others  formed  of  spirit  of  wine, 
must  be  laid  on  in  a  warm  place  ;  and  ifit  can  be  convenient* 
ly  managed,  the  piece  of  work  to  be  varnished  should  be 
made  warm  likewise ;  and  for  the  same  reason,  all  dampness 
should  be  avoided  ;  for  either  cold  or  moisture  chills  this 
kind  of  varnish,  and  prevents  its  taking  proper  hold  of  the 
substance  on  which  it  is  laid* 

When  the  work  is  so  prepared,  or  by  the  priming  with  the 
composition  of  size  and  whiting  above  described,  the  proper 
japan  ground  must  be  laid  on,  which  is  much  the  best  form- 
ed of  shell-lac  varnish,  and  the  colour  desired,  except  white, 
which  requires  a  peculiar  treatment ;  and  if  brightness  be 
wanted,  then  also  other  means  must  be  pursued. 

The  colours  used  with  the  shell-lac  varnish  may  be  any 
pigments  whatever,  which  give  the  tint  of  the  ground  desired. 

As  metals  never  require  to  be  under  coated  with  whiting, 
they  may  be  treated  in  the  same  manner  as  wood  or  leather* 

454.     White  Japan  Grounds. 

The  forming  a  ground  perfectly  white,  arjpl  of  the  first  de^ 
gree  of  hardness,  remains  hitherto  a  desideratum  in  the  art  of 
japanning,  as  there  are  no  substances  which  form  a  very  hard 
varnish,  but  which  have  too  much  colour  not  to  injure  the 
whiteness,  when  laid  on  of  a  due  thickness  over  the  work. 

The  nearest  approach,  however,  to  a  perfect  white  varnish, 
already  known,  is  made  by  the  following  composition  : — 

Take  flake-white*  or  white  lead,  washed  over  and  ground 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.          149 

up  with  one  sixth  of  its  weight  of  starch  and  then  dried  j  and 
temper  it  properly  for  spreading  with  mastich  varnish. 

Lay  these  on  the  body  to  be  japanned,  prepared  either  with 
or  without  the  under  coat  of  whiting,  in  the  manner  as  above 
ordered  ;  and  then  varnish  it  over  with  five  or  six  coats  of  the 
following  varnish : — 

Provide  any  quantity  of  the  best  seed-lac,  and  pick  out  of 
it  all  the  clearest  and  whitest  grains,  reserving  the  more  col- 
oured and  fouler  parts  for  the  coarse  varnishes,  such  as  that 
used  for  priming  or  preparing  wood  or  leather.  Take  of  this 
pickled  lac  two  ounces,  and  of  gum  animi  three  ounces ;  and 
dissolve  ihem,  being  previously  reduced  to  a  gross  powder, 
in  about  a  quart  of  spirits  of  wine,  and  strain  off  the  clear 
varnish. 

The  seed  lac  will  give  a  slight  tinge  to  this  composition  ; 
but  it  cannot  be  omitted,  where  the  varnish  is  wanted  to  be 
hard;  though,  when  a  softer  will  answer  the  end,  tbe  pro- 
portion  may  be  diminished,  and  a  little  crude  turpentine  add- 
ed to  the  gum  animi  to  take  off  the  brittleness. 

A  very  good  varnish*  entirely  free  from  all  brittleness,  may 
be  formed  by  dissolving  as  much  gum  animi  as  the  oil  will 
take,  in  old  nut  or  poppy  oil ;  which  must  be  made  to  boil 
gently  when  the  gum  is  put  into  it.  The  ground  of  white 
colour  itself  may  be  laid  on  in  this  varnish,  and  then  a  coat 
or  two  of  it  may  be  put  over  the  ground  ;  but  it  must  be 
well  diluted  with  oil  of  turpentine  when  it  is  used.  This, 
though  free  from  brittleness,  is  nevertheless  liable  to  suffer  by 
being  indented  or  bruised  by  any  slight  stroke- ;  and  it  will 
.not  well  bear  any  polish,  but  may  be  brought  to  a  very 
smooth  surface  without,  if  it  be  judiciously  managed  in  the 
laying  it  on.  It  is  likewise  somewhat  tedious  in  drying,  and 
will  require  some  time  where  several  coats  are  laid  on  5  as  the 
last  ought  not  to  contain  much  oil  of  turpentine. 

455.     Blue  fapan  Grounds. 
*/  •* ' 

Blue  Japan  grouRds  may  be  formed  of  bright  Prussian- 
blue  ;  or  of  verditer,  glazed  over  by  Prussian  blue,  or  smalt. 
The  colour  may  be 'best  mixed  with  shell-lac  varnish,  and 
brought  to  a  polishing  state  by  five  or  six  coats  of  varnish  of 
seed-lac  ;  but  the  varnish,  nevertheless,  wi  1  somewhat  injure 
the  colour,  by  giving  to  a  true  blue  a  cast  of  green,  and  foul- 
ing in  some  degree  a  warm  blue  by  the  yellow  it  contains ; 
•where,  therefore,  a  bright  blue  is  required,  and  a  less  degree 
of  hardness  can  be  dispensed  with,  the  method  before  directed 
in  the  case  of  white  grounds,  must  be  pursued. 


]  50  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADESC 

456.     Red  Jopan  Grounds. 

For  a  scarlet  japan  ground,  vermilion  may  be  used;  but 
the  vermilion  has  a  glaring  effect,  that  renders  it  much  less 
beautiful  than  the  crimson  produced  by  glazing  it  over  with 
carmine  or  fine  lake,  or  even  with  rose  pink,  which  has  a  very 
good  effect,  used  for  this  purpose.  For  a  very  bright  crim- 
son, nevertheless,  instead  of  glazing  with  carmine,  the  Indian 
lake  should  be  used,  dissolved  in  the  spirit -of  which  the  var- 
nish is  compounded,  which  it  readily  admits  of  when  good  > 
and  in  this  case,  instead  of  glazing  with  the  shell-lac  varnish, 
the  upper  or  polishing  coats  need  only  be  used,  as  they  will 
equally  receive  and  convey  the  tinge  of  the  Indian  lake,  which 
may  be  actually  dissolved  by  spirits  of  wine,  and  this  will  be 
found  a  much  cheaper  method,  than  the  using  carmine.  If, 
however,  the  highest  degree  of  brightness  is  required,  the 
white,  varnish  must  be  used. 

4?:5T.     Yellow  Japan  Grounds. 

For  bright  yellow  grounds,  king's  yellow,  or  turpeth  min- 
eral,  should  be  employed,  either  alone  or  mixed  with  fine 
Dutch  pink,  and  the  effect  may  be  still  more  heightened,  by 
dissolving  powdered  turmeric  root  in  tire  spirits  of  wine,  of 
which  the  upper  or  polishing  coat  is  made,  which  spirits  of 
wine  must  be  strained  from  off  the  dregs  before  the  seed-lac 
be  added  to  it,  to  form  the  varnish. 

The  seed-lac  varnish  is  not  equally  injurious  here,  and  with 
greens,  as  is  the  case  of  other  colours ;  because,  being  only 
tinged  with  a  reddish  yellow,  it  is  little  more  than  an  addi- 
tion to  the  force  of  the  colours. 

Yellow  grounds  may  be  likewise  formed  of  Dutch  pink 
only,  which,  when  good,  will  not  be  wanting  in  brightness, 
though  extremely  cheap. 

458.      Green  Japan  Grounds. 

Green  grounds  may  be  produced  by  mixing  king's  yellow 
and  bright  Prussian-blue,  or  rather  turpeth  mineral  and  Prus- 
sian-blue. And  a  cheap,  but  fouler  kind  by  verdigris,  with 
a  little  of  the  above  mentioned  yellows,  or  Dutch  pink.  But 
where  a  very  bright  green  is  wanted,  the  crystals  of  verdigris, 
called  distilled  verdigris,  should  be  employed  ;  and  to  height- 
en the  effect,  they  should  be  laid  on  a  ground  of  leaf  gold, 
which  renders  the  colour  extremely  brilliant  and  pleasing. 

459*     Orange  Japan  Grounds. 
Orange  coloured  japan  grounds  may  be  formed  by  raising 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES,  1 51 

vermilion,  or  red  lead,  with  king's  yellow,  or  Dutch  pink,  or 
the  orange  lake,  which  will  make  a  brighter  orange  ground 
than  can  be  produced  by  any  mixture. 

460.     Purple  Japan  Grounds. 

Purple  japan  grounds  may  be  produced  by  the  mixture  of 
lake  and  Prusbian-blue  ;  of  a  darker  kind,  by  vermilion  and 
Prussian-blue.  They  may  be  treated  as  the  rest,  with  respect 
to  the  varnish. 

461.     Black  Japan  Grounds  "without  heat. 

Black  grounds  may  be  formed  by  either  ivory  black,  or 
lamp  black  ;  but  the  former  is  preferable  where  it  is  perfect- 
ly good.  These  may  always  be  laid  on  with  shell-lac  var- 
nish ;  and  have  their  upper  or  polishing  coats  of  common 
seed-lac  varnish,  as  the  tinge  or  foulness  of  the  varnish  can 
here  be  HO  injury. 

462.  Common  Black  Japan  Grounds  on  Iron  or  Cop" 

per9  produced  by  means  of  heat. 

For  forming  the  black  japan  grounds  by  means  of  heat,  the 
piece  of  work  to  be  japanned  must  be  painted  over  with  dry- 
ing oil,  and  a  little  lamp  black  ;  and  when  it  is  of  a  moderate 
dryness,  must  be  exposed  to  such  a  degree  of  heat,  as  will 
change  the  oil  to  black,  without  burning  so  as  to  destroy  or 
weaken  its  tenacity.  The  stove  should  not  be  too  hot  when 
the  work  is  put  into  it,  nor  the  heat  increased  too  fast,  either 
of  which  errors  would  make  it  blister;  but  the  slower  the 
heat  is  augmented,  and  the  longer  it  is  continued,  provided 
it  be  restrained  within  the  due  degree,  the  harder  will  be  the 
coat  of  japan.  This  kind  of  varnish  requires  no  polish,  hav- 
ing received,  when  properly  managed,  a  sufficient  one  from 
the  heat. 

463.  The  fine  Tortoise-shell  Japan  Ground \  produced 

by  means  of  heat. 

The  best  kind  of  tortoise-shell  ground  produced  by  heat 
is  not  less  valuable  for  its  great  hardness,  and  enduring  to  be 
made  hotter  than  boiling  water  without  damage,  than  for  its 
beautiful  appearance.  It  is  to  be  made  by  means  of  a  varnish 
prepared  in  the  following  manner  :*— 

Take  of  good  linseed-oil  one  gallon,  and  of  umber  half  a 
pound;  boil  them  together  till  the  oil  become  very  brown 
and  thick  ;  strain  it  through  a  coarse  cloth,  and  set  it  again 
to  boil ;  in  which  state  it  must  be  continued  till  it  acquire  a 
pitchy  consistence,  when  it  will  be  fit  for  use, 


1*2  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

Having  thus  prepared  the  varnish,  clean  well  the  iron  or 
copper  plate,  or  other  pieces  which  are  to  be  japanned,  and 
then  lay  vermilion  tempered  with  shell-lac  varnish,  or  with 
drying  oil  diluted  with  oil  of  turpentine,  very  thinly,  on  the 
places  intended  to  imitate  the  more  transparent  parts  of  the 
tortoise-shell.  When  the  vermilion  is  dry,  brush  over  the 
whole  with  the  black  varnish,  tempered  to  a  true  consistence 
with  oil  of  turpentine ;  and  when  it  is  set  and  firm,  put  the 
work  into  a  stove,  where  it  may  undergo  a  very  strong  heat, 
and  must  be  continued  a  considerable  time ;  if  even  three 
weeks  or  a  month,  it  will  be  the  better. 

This  was  given  amongst  other  receipts  by  KUNCKEL  ;  but 
appears  to  have  been  neglected  till  it  was  revived  with  great 
success  in  the  Birmingham  manufactures,  where  it  was  not 
only  the  ground  of  snuff  boxes,  dressing  boxes,  and  other  such 
lesser  pieces ;  but  of  those  beautiful  tea  waiters  vvhich  have 
been  so  justly  esteemed  and  admired  in  several  parts  of  Eu- 
rope, where  they  have  been  sent.  This  ground  may  be  dec- 
orated with  painting  and  gilding,  in  the  same  manner  as  any 
other  varnished  surface,  which  had  best  be  done  after  the 
ground  has  been  duly  hardened  by  the  hot  stove  ;  but  it  will 
be  best  to  give  a  second  annealing  with  a  more  gentle  heatv 
after  it  is  finished. 

464-.     Manner  of  varnishing  Japan  Work* 

The  finishing  of  japan  work  lies  in  the  laying  on,  and  pol- 
ishing, the  outer  coats  of  varnish  which  are  necessary,  as  well 
in  the  pieces  that  have  only  one  simple  ground  of  colour,  as 
with  those  that  are  painted.  This  is  in  general  done  best  with 
common  seed-lac  varnish,  except  in  the  instances,  and  on 
those  occasions,  where  we  have  already  shewn  other  methods 
to  be  more  expedient ;  and  the  same  reasons  which  decide  as 
to  the  fitness  or  impropriety  of  the  varnishes,  with  respect  to 
the  colours  of  the  ground,  hold  equally  with  regard  to  those 
of  the  painting.  For  where  brightness  is  the  mo*t  material 
point,  and  a  tinge  of  yellow  will  injure  it,  seed-lac  must  give 
way  to  the  whiter  gums  ;  but  where  hardness,  and  a  greater 
tenacity,  are  most  essential,  it  must  be  adhered  to  ;  and  where 
both  are  so  necessary,  that  it  is  proper  one  should  give  way 
to  the  other  in  a  certain  degree  reciprocally,  a  mixed  varnish 
must  be  adopted. 

This  mixed  varnish,  as  we  have  already  observed,  should 
be  made  of  the  picked  seed-lac.  The  common  seed-lac  var- 
nish, which  is  the  most  useful  preparation  of  the  kind  hith- 
erto invented,  may  be  thus  made : — 

Take  of  seed-lac  three  ounces,  and  put  it  into  water,  to 
free  it  from  the  sticks  and  filth  that  are  frequently  intermix- 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  153 

ed  with  it ;  and  which  must  be  done  by  stirring  it  about,  and 
then  pouring  off  the  water,  and  adding  fresh  quantities,  in 
order  to  repeat  the  operation,  till  it  be  freed  from  all  impu- 
rities, as  is  very  effectually  done  by  this  means.  Dry  it  then, 
and  powder  it  grossly,  and  put  it,  with  a  pint  of  rectified 
spirit  of  wine,  into  a  bottle,  of  which  it  will  not  fill  above 
two  thirds.  Shake  the  mixture  well  together,  and  place  the 
bottle  in  a  gentle  heat,  till  the  seed-lac  appears  to  be  dissol- 
ved ;  the  shaking  being  in  the  mean  time  repeated  as  often  as 
r»ay  be  convenient :  and  then  pour  off  all  that  can  be  ob- 
tained clear  by  this  method,  and  strain  the  remainder  thro* 
a  coarse  clothe  The  varnish  thus  prepared  must  be  kept  for 
use  in  a  bottle  well  stopped. 

When  the  spirit  of  wine  is  very  strong,  it  will  dissolve  x 
greater  proportion  of  the  seed-lac ;  but  this  quantity  will 
saturate  the  common,  which  is  seldom  of  a  strength  sufficient 
to  make  varnishes  in  perfection.  As  the  chilling,  which  is  the 
most  inconvenient  accident  attending  varnishes  of  this  kind, 
is  prevented,  or  produced  more  frequently,  according  to-  the 
strength  of  the  spirit ;  we  shall  therefore  take  this  opportu- 
nity of  shewing  a  method  by  which  weaker  rectified  spirits 
may  with  great  ease  at  any  time  be  freed  from  the  phlegm, 
and  rendered  of  the  first  degree  of  strength. 

Take  a  pint  of  the  common  rectified  spirit  of  wine,  and 
put  it  into  a  bottle,  of  which  it  will  not  fill  above  three  parts  ; 
add  to  it  half  an  ounce  of  pearl-ashes,  salt  of  tartar,  or  any 
other  alkaline  salt,  heated  red  hot,  and  powdered  as  well  as 
it  can  be  without  much  loss  of  its  heat.  Shake  the  mixture 
frequently  for  the  space  of  half  an  hour  ;  before  which  time, 
a  great  part  of  the  phlegm  will  be  separated  from  the  spirit, 
and  will  appear,  together  with  the  undissolved  part  of  the 
salts,  in  the  bottom  of  the  bottle.  Let  the  spirit  be  poured 
off,  or  freed  from  the  phlegm  and  the  salts,  by  means  of  a 
tritorium,  or  separating  funnel  j  and  let  half  an  ounce  of  the 
pearl-ashes,  heated  and  powdered  as  before,  be  added  to  it, 
and  the  same  treatment  repeated.  This  may  be  done  a  third 
time,  if  the  quantity  of  phlegm  separated  by  the  addition  of 
the  pearl-ashes  appear  considerable.  An  ounce  of  alum  re- 
duced to  powder,  and  made  hot,  but  not  burnt,  must  then 
be  put  into  the  spirit,  and  suffered  to  remain  some  hours,  the 
bottle  being  frequently  shaken  ;  after  which  the  spirit  being 
poured  off  from  it,  will  be  fit  for  use. 

The  addition  of  the  alum  is  necessary  to  neutralize  the  re- 
mains of  the  alkaline  salt,  which  would  otherwise  greatly  dc- 
pfave  the  spirit,  with  respect  to  varnishes  and  lacquer  where 
vegetable  colours  are  concerned,  and  must  consequently  rea- 
per another  distillation  necessary. 

The  manner  of  using  the  §eed-lacj  or  white  varnish,  is  th$ 


154  SECRETS  IN  ARTS 

same,  except  with  regard  to  the  sub  tancc 
which,  where  a  pure  white  of  a  great  clea* v  ?s 
ours  is  in  question,  should  be  itself  white;  \,.-  u  c.ie 
browner  jortb  of  polishing  dust,  a-i  being  cheaper,  and  cicHg 
their  business  with  greater  dispatch,  may  be  u  ed  in  ctner 
eases.  The  pieces  of  work  to  be  varni  hed,  should  be  placed 
near  a  fire,  or  in  a  room  where  there  is  a  stove,  and  made  per-" 
fectly  dry ;  and  then  the  varnish  may  be  rubbed  over  them 
by  the  proper  brushes  made  for  that  purpose,  beginning  in 
the  middle,  and  passing  the  brush  to  one  end,  and  then  with 
another  stroke  from  the  middle,  passing  it  to  the  other.  But 
no  part  should  be  crossed,  or  twice  passed  over,  in  forming' 
one  coat,  where  it  can  be  possibly  avoided.  When  one  coat 
is  dry,  another  must  be  laid  over  it ;  and  this  must  be  con- 
tinued at  least  five  or  six  times,  or  more,  if,  on  trial,  there  be 
not  sufficient  thickness  of  varnish  to  bear  the  polish,  without 
laying  hare  the  painting  or  ground  colour  underneath. 

When  a  sufficient  number^of  coats  is  thus  laid  on,  the  work 
is  fit  to  be  polished  ;  which  must  be  done,  in  common  cases, 
by  rubbing  it  with  a  rag,  dipped  in  tripoli,.  or  rotten-stone, 
finely  powdered  ;  but,  towards  the  end  of  the  rubbing,  a  lit- 
tle oil  of  any  kind  should  be  used  along  with  the  powder  ; 
and  when  the  work  appears  sufficiently  bright  and  glossy,  it 
should  be  well  rubbed  with  the  oil  alone^  to  clean  it  from 
the  powder,  and  give  it  a  still  brighter  lustre. 

In  case  of  white  grounds,  instead  of  tripoli,  or  rotten  stone, 
fine  putty,  or  whiting,  must  be  used ;  both  of  which  should 
be  washed  over,  to  prevent  the  danger  of  damaging  the  work, 
from  any  sand  or  gritWy  matter  that  may  happen  to  be  mixed 
with  them. 

It  is  a  great  improvement  in  all  kinds  of  japan  work,  to 
harden  the  varnish  by  means  of  heat ;  which  in  every  degree 
that  it  can  be  applied,  short  of  what  would  burn  or  calcine 
the  matter,  tends  to  give  it  a  more  firm  and  strong  texture. 

Where  metal  forms  the  body,  a  very  hot  stove  may  be  use- 
ed  ;  and  the  pieces  of  work  may  be  continued  in  it  a  consid- 
erable time,  especially  if  the  heat  be  gradually  increased  ;  but 
where  wood  is  in  question,  heat  must  be  sparingly  used,  as 
it  would  otherwise  warp  or  shrink  the  body,  so  as  to  injure 
the  general  figure. 

465.      MANUFACTURE  OF  GLASS.  * 

This  beautiful  material  is  not  of  modern  invention  ;  it  was 
known  to  the  ancient  Romans,  but  it  was  by  no  means  com- 
mon among  them,  and  they  do  not  appear  to  have  had  the 
method  of  forming  it  into  vessels  of  various  shapes  as  is 
practised  at  present. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  155 

Glass  is  made  by  fusing  together  silex  and  potash,  or  soda, 
in  proper  proportions.  Sea  sand,  which  consists  almost  en- 
tirely of  quartz  and  flints  reduced  to  powder,  is  generally 
used  for  this  purpose.  The  alkali  is  generally  procured  from 
the  burning  of  sea  weeds;  these  are  cut,  dried,  and  burned 
in  pits  dug  in  the  ground  ;  after  a  sufficient  quantity  of  them 
have  burned  in  the  same  pit,  a  melted  or  liquid  mass  is  found 
in  the  bottom,  which,  after  being  well  stirred,  is  suffered  to 
cool ;  it  is  then  called  kelp,  aad  consists  of  a  mixture  of  soda, 
potash,  and  parts  of  half  burnt  weeds,  together  with  shells, 
sand,  and  other  impurities. 

When  the  ingredients  of  which  glass  is  composed  are  per- 
fectly fused,  and  have  acquired  a  certain  degree  of  heat,  which 
is  known  by  the  fluidity  of  the  mass,  part  of  the  melted  mat- 
ter is  taken  out  at  the  end  of  a  long  hollow  tube,  which  is 
dipped'into  it,  and  turned  about,  till  a  sufficient  quantity  is 
taken  up  ;  the  workman  then  rolls  it  gently  upon  a  piece  of 
iron,  to  unite  it  more  intimately.  He  then  blows  through  the 
tube,  till  the  melted  mass  at  the  extremity  swells  into  a  bub- 
ble, after  which  he  rolls  it  again  on  a  smooth  surface  to  pol- 
ish it,  and  repeats  the  blowing,  until  the  glass  is  brought  as 
near  the  size  and  form  of  the  vessel  required  as  Jie  thinks 
necessary. 

If  it  be  a  common  bottle,  the  melted  glass  at  the  end  of  the 
tube  is  put  into  a  mould  of  the  exact  size  and  shape  of  its 
body,  and  the  neck  is  formed  on  the  outside,  by  drawing  out 
the  ductile  glass. 

If  it  be  a  vessel  with  a  wide  orifice,  the  glass  in  its  melted 
slate  is  opened  and  widened  with  an  iron  tool ;  after  which 
being  again  heated,  it  is  whirled  about  with  a  circular  motion, 
and  by  means  of  the  centrifugal  force  thus  produced,  is  ex- 
tended to  the  size  required.  Should  a  handle,  foot,  or  any 
thing  eke  of  the  kind,  be  required,  these  are  made  separately, 
and  stuck  on  in  its  melted  state. 

Window  Glats  is  made  in  a  similar  manner,  except  that  the 
liquid  mass  at  the  end  of  the  tube  is  formed  into  a  cylindrical 
shape,  which  being  cut  longitudinally  by  scissars  or  sheers,  is 
gradually  bent  back  until  it  becomes  a  flat  plate. 

Large  plate  glass,  for  looking  glasses,  &c.  is  made  by  suf- 
fering the  mass  in  a  state  of  complete  fusion  to  flow  upon  a 
table,  with  iron  ledges  to  confine  the  melted  matter,  and  as 
it  cools,  a  metallic  roller  is  passed  over  it,  to  reduce  it  to  an 
uniform  thickness.  There  are  various  kinds  of  glass  manu- 
factured for  different  purposes ;  the  principal  of  these  are 
flint  glass,  crown  glass,  and  bottle  green. 

Flint  glass  is  the  densest,  most  transparent,  colourless,  and 
beautiful.  It  is  sometimes  called  crystal.  The  best  kind  is 
.sgutf  to  be  manufactured  in  London,  from  120  parts  of  white 


156  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

siliceous  sand,  40  parts  of  pearl-ash,  35  of  red  oxydeof  lead, 
13  of  nitrate  of  potash,  and  25  of  black  oxyde  of  manganese. 
It  is  the  most  fusible  glass.  It  is  used  for  bottles,  and  other 
utensils,  intended  to  be  cut  and  polished,  and  for  various  or- 
namental purposes. 

Crown  glass  differs  from  the  last,  in  containing  no  lead. 
It  is  made  of  soda  and  fine  sand.  It  is  used  for  panes  of 
windows,  &c. 

Bottle  glass  is  the  coarsest  sort  of  all.  It  is  made  from  kelp 
and  common  sand.  Its  green  colour  is  owing  to  iron.  It  is 
the  least  fusible. 

Glass  is  sometimes  coloured  by  mixing  with  it  while  in  a 
fluid  state,  various  metallic  oxydes.  It  is  coloured  blue,  by  the 
oxyde  of  cobalt ;  red,  by  the  oxyde  of  gold  ;  green,  by  the 
oxyde  of  copper  or  iron  ;  yellow^  by  the  oxyde  of  silver  or 
antimony,  and  violet  by  the  oxyde  of  manganese 

The  hardness  of  glass  i.:;  very  considerable  ;  its  specific 
gravity  varies  from  2,  s  to  4,  according  to  the  quantity  of 
metallic  oxyde  which  enters  into  ite  composition.  Though 
glass,  when  cold,  is  brittle,  it  is  one  of  the  most  ductile  bo- 
dies known.  When  liquid,  if  a  thread  of  melted  glass  be 
drawn  out,  and  fastened  to  a  reel,  the  whole  of  the  glass  can 
be  spun  off;  and  by  cutting  the  threads  of  a  certain  length, 
there  is  obtained  a  sort  of  feather  of  glass.  A  thread  of  glass 
may  be  thus  drawn  or  spun  so  fine,  as  to  be  scarcely  visible 
to  the  naked  eye.  Glass  is  almost  perfectly  elastic,  and  is  one 
of  the  most  sonorous  bodies.  Fluoric  acid  dissolves  it  at  com- 
mon temperatures,  and  alkalis  in  a  great  degree  of  heat. 
These  are  the  only  substances  known  which  act  upon  it. 

Glass  utensils  require  to  be  gradually  cooled  in  an  oven  : 
this  operation  is  called  annealing,  and  is  necessary  to  prevent 
their  breaking  by  change  of  temperature,  wiping,  or  slight 
accidental  scratches. 

Two  toys  are  made  of  unannealed  glass,  which,  though 
commonly  used  for  the  amusement  of  children,  exhibit  phe- 
nomena which  justly  interest  the  curiosity  of  the  philosopher  ; 
we  mean  Prince  RUPERT'S  drops,  and  the  Bologna  flask,  or 
philosophical  phial. 

Prince  Rupert's  drops  are  made,  by  letting  drops  of  melted 
glass  fall  into  cold  water :  the  drop  assumes  by  that  means  an 
oval  form,  with  a  tail  or  neck  resembling  a  retort.  These 
drops  are  said  to  have  been  first  invented  by  Prince  RUPERT, 
and  are  therefore  called  by  his  name.  They  posses3  this  sin- 
gular property,  that  if  a  small  portion  of  the  tail  is  broken 
off,  the  whose  burst?  into  powder,  with  an  explosion  ;  and  a 
considerable  shock  is  communicated  to  the  hand  that  grasps  it. 

The  Bologna  or  philosophical  pbial,  is  a  small  vessel  of  glass, 
which  has  been  suddenly  cooled,  open  at  the  upper  end,  and 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES-  157 

rounded  at  the  bottom.  It  is  made  so  thick  at  the  bottom, 
that  it  will  bear  a  smart  blow  against  a  hard  body,  without 
breaking  ;  but  if  a  little  pebble,  or  piece  of  flint,  is  let  fall  in- 
to it,  it  immediately  cracks,  and  the  bottom  falls  into  pieces: 
but  unless  the  pebble  or  flint  is  large  and  angular  enough  to 
scratch  the  surface  of  the  glass,  it  will  not  break. 

The  most  generally  received  explanation  of  these  facts  is 
founded  on  the  assumption,  that  the  dimensions  of  those  bo- 
dies which  are  suddenly  cooled,  are  larger  than  those  which 
are  more  gradually  cooled.  The  dimensions,  therefore,  of 
the  smooth  external  surface  of  these  glasses  which  are  sud- 
denly cooled,  are  supposed  to  be  larger  than  is  adapted  to 
the  accurate  enveJopement  of  the  internal  part,  which  is  ne- 
cessarily cooled  in  a  more  gradual  manner  ;  if,  therefore,  by 
a  crack  or  scratch,  a  disjunction  of  the  cohesion  takes  place, 
in  the  internal  surface,  the  hidden  action  of  the  parts  which 
remained  in  a  state  of  tension,  to  recover  that  of  perfect  co- 
hesion, is  supposed  to  effect  the  destruction  of  the  mass. 

466.     SPEWING. 

The  art  of  brewing,  or  of  preparing  a  vinous  fermented  li- 
quor from  faiinaceous  seeds,  is  very  ancient.  It  was  known 
to  the  ancient  Egyptians,  Germans,  Spaniards,  Gauls,  and 
the  inhabitants  of  the  British  Isles,  and  the  north  of  Europe. 
The  liquor  made  by  them,  however,  resembled  more  our 
sweet  and  mucilaginous  ales,  the  use  of  hops  being  of  modern 
invention. 

The  vinous  fermentation  cannot  be  produced  without  sac^ 
charine  matter  ;  and  any  substance  containing  sugar  is  capa- 
ble of  producing  ardent  spirit,  or  alkohol. 

Bariey  is  a  grain  consisting  of  fecula  or  starch,  albumen* 
and  a  little  gluten  ;  and  by  the  process  of  malting,  its  fecula 
is  converted  into  sugar  :  hence  it  affords  a  convenient  mate- 
rial for  the  production  of  alkoho!,  which  is  the  substance  that 
gives  the  intoxicating  quality  to  every  liquor. 

Maltingy  or  the  converting  barley  into  malt,  is  the  first  pro* 
cess  in  the  making  of  beer.  To  efftct  this,  the  grain  is  put 
into  a  trough  with  water,  to  steep  for  about  three  days:  it  Is 
then  laid  in  heaps,  to  let  the  water  drain  from  it,  and  after- 
wards turned  over  and  laid  in  new  heaps.  In  this  state,  the 
same  process  takes  place  a.i  if  the  barley  were  sown  in  the 
ground.  It  begins  to  germinate,  puts  forth  a  shoot,  and  the 
fecula  of  the  seed  is  converted  into  saccharine  matter.  When 
this  is  sufficiently  accomplished,  which  is  known  by  the  length 
of  the  shoot,  (about  two-thirds  of  the  length  of  the  grain,) 
this  process  of  germination  must  be  stopped,  otherwise  the 
sugar  would  be  lost,  nature  intending  it  for  the  nourishment 
P 


1 58  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

of  the  young  plant.  The  malt  is  therefore  spread  out  upon 
a  floor,  and  frequently  turned  over,  which  cools  it,  and  dries 
up  its  moisture,  without  which  the  germination  cannot  pro- 
ceed. When  it  is  completely  dried,  in  this  manner,  it  is  call- 
ed air  dried  malt,  and  is  very  little  altered  in  colour.  But 
when  it  is  dried  in  kilns,  it  acquires  a  brownish  colour,  which 
is  deeper  in  proportion  to  the  heat  applied  ;  it  is  then  called 
kiln  dried.  This  malt  is  then  coarsely  ground  in  a  mill. 

Mashing  is  the  next  step  in  the  process  of  brewing.  This 
is  performed  in  a  large  circular  wooden  vessel,  called  the  mash 
tun,  shallow  in  proportion  to  its  extent,  and  furnished  with 
a  false  bottom,  pierced  with  small  holes,  and  fixed  a  few  inch- 
es above  the  real  bottom.  There  are  two  side  openings,  in 
the  interval  between  the  real  and  false  bottom  :  to  one  is  fix- 
ed a  pipe,  for  the  purpose  of  conveying  water  into  the  tun, 
and  the  other  for  drawing  the  liquor  out  of  it.  The  malt  is 
to  be  strewed  evenly  over  the  false  bottom  of  the  same  tun, 
and  then,  by  means  of  the  side  pipe,  a  proper  quantity  of  hot 
water  is  introduced  from  the  upper  copper.  The  water  rises 
upwards  through  the  malt,  or  as  it  is  called  the  grist,  and 
\vben  the  whole  quantity  is  introduced,  the  mashing  begins, 
the  object  of  which  is  to  effect  a  perfect  mixture  of  the  malt 
•with  the  water,  so  that  the  soluble  parts  may  be  extracted  by 
it :  for  this  purpose,  the  grist  is  sometimes  incorporated  with 
the  water  by  iron  rakes,  and  then  the  mass  is  beaten  and  agi- 
tated by  long  flat  wooden  poles,  resembling  oars,  which  are 
either  worked  by  the  hand  or  by  machinery. 

When  the  mashing  is  completed,  the  tun  is  covered  in,  to 
prevent  the  escape  of  the  heat,  and  the  whole  is  suffered  to 
remain  still,  in  order  that  the  insoluble  parts  may  separate 
from  the  liquor :  the  side  is  then  opened,  and  the  clear  wort 
allowed  te  run  off,  slowly  at  first,  but  more  rapidly  as  it  be- 
comes fine,  into  the  lower  or  boiling  copper. 

The  chief  thing  to  be  attended  to  in  mashing,  is  the  tem- 
perature of  the  mash,  which  depends  on  the  heat  of  the  water, 
and  the  state  of  the  malt.  If  the  water  was  let  in  upon  the 
grist  boiling  hot,  the  starch  which  it  contains  would  be  dis- 
solved, and  converted  into  a  gelatinous  substance,  in  which 
all  the  other  parts  of  the  malt,  and  most  of  the  water,  would 
be  entangled  beyond  the  possibility  of  being  recovered  by  any 
after  process. 

The  most  eligible  temperature  appears  to  be  from  185°  to 
190°  of  Fahrenheit ;  for  the  first  mashing,  the  heat  of  the  wa- 
ter must  be  somewhat  below  thL>  temperature,  and  lower  in 
proportion  to  the  dark  co;our  of  the  malt  made  use  of.  For 
pale  malt  the  water  may  be  180°,  but  foi  brown  it  ought  not 
to  be  more  than  170°. 

The  liquor  or  wort  (as  it  is  called,)  of  tke  first  mashing  is 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  l& 

always  by  much  the  richest  in  saccharine  matter ;  but  to  ex« 
haust  the  malt,  a  second  and  third  mashing  is  required,  in 
which  the  water  may  be  safely  raised  to  190°  or  upwards. 

The  proportion  of  wort  to  be  obtained  from  each  bushel 
of  malt,  depends  entirely  on  the  proposed  strength  of  the  li- 
quor. It  is  said  that  25  or  30  gallons  of  good  table  beer  may 
be  taken  from  each  bushel  of  malt.  For  ale  and  porter  of 
the  superior  kinds,  only  the  produce  of  the  first  mashing,  or 
six  or  eight  gallons,  is  to  be  employed. 

Brewers  make  use  of  an  instrument  called  a  sacchrometer* 
to  ascertain  the  strength  and  goodness  of  the  wort.  This  in- 
strument is  a  kind  of  hydrometer,  and  shews  the  specific 
gravity  of  the  wort,  rather  than  the  exact  quantity  of  sacch- 
arine matter  which  it  contains. 

The  next  process  in  brewing  is  the  boiling  and  bopping.  If 
only  one  kind  of  liquor  is  made,  the  produce  of  the  three 
mashings  is  to  be  mixed  together  ;  but  if  ale  and  table  beer 
are  required,  the  wort  of  the  first,  or  first  and  second  mash- 
ings  is  appropriated  to  the  ale,  and  the  remainder  is  set  aside 
for  the  beer. 

All  the  wort  destined  for  the  same  liquor,  after  it  has  run 
from  the  tun,  is  transferred  to  the  large  lower  copper,  and 
mixed  with  a  certain  proportion  of  hops.  The  better  the 
wort,  the  more  hops  are  required.  In  private  families  a 
pound  of  hops  is  generally  used  to  every  bushel  of  malt ;  but 
in  public  breweries,  a  much  smaller  proportion  is  deemed 
sufficient.  When  ale  and  table  beer  are  brewed  from  the 
same  malt,  the  usual  practice  is  to  put  the  whole  quantity  of 
hops  in  the  ale  wort,  which  having  been  boiled  some  time, 
are  to  be  transferred  to  the  beer-wort,  and  with  it  to  be  again 
boiled. 

AY  hen  the  hops  are  mixed  with  the  wort  in  the  copper,  the 
liquor  is  made  to  boil,  and  the  best  practice  is  to  keep  it  boil- 
ing as  fast  as  possible,  till  upon  taking  a  little  of  the  liquor- 
out,  it  is  found  to  be  full  of  small  flakes  like  that  of  curdled 
soap.  The  boiling  copper  is  in  common  breweries  uncover- 
ed; but  in  many,  on  a  large  scale,  it  is  fitted  with  a  steam- 
tight  cover,  from  the  centre  of  which  passes  a  pipe,  that  ter- 
minates by  several  branches  in  the  upper  or  mashing  copper. 
The  steam  therefore  produced  by  the  boiling,  instead  of  be* 
ing  wasted,  is  let  into  the  cold  water,  and  thus  raises  it  very 
nearly  to  the  temperature  required  for  mashing,  besides  im- 
pregnating it  very  sensibly  with  the  essential  oil  of  the  hops, 
in  which  the  flavour  resides. 

When  the  liquor  is  boiled,  it  is  discharged  into  a  number 
of  coo/ers,  or  shallow  tubs,  in  which  it  remains  until  it  becomes 
sufficiently  cool  to  be  submitted  to  fermentation.  It  is  neces- 
sary that  the  process  of  cooling  should  be  carried  on  as  ex-- 


160  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

peditiously  as  possible,  particularly  in  hot  weather;  and  for 
this  reason,  the  coolers  in  the  brew-houses  are  very  shallow. 
JLiquor  made  from  pale  malt,  and  which  is  intended  for  im- 
mediate drinking,  need  not  be  cooled  lower  than  75°  or  80°  ; 
of  course  this  kind  of  beer  may  be  brewed  in  the  hottest 
weather ;  but  beer  brewed  from  brown  malt,  and  intended 
to  be  kept,  must  be  cooled  to  65°  or  70°  before  it  i  put  into 
a  state  of  fermentation.  Hence  in  the  spring,  the  month  of 
.March,  and  in  autumn,  the  month  of  October,  have  been 
deemed  the  mo^t  favourable  for  the  manufacture  of  the  best 
ma)t  liquor. 

The  la  t  operations  in  brewing  are  the  tunning  and  barre!- 
Jing.  From  the  coolers  the  liquors  is  to  be  transferred  into 
the  working  tun,  and  with  it  is  to  be  mixed  a  gallon  of  yeast 
to  four  barrels  of  beer,  in  order  to  excite  the  vinous  fermen- 
tation. In  four  or  five  hours  the  fermentation  begins,  and  it 
requires  frcm  18  or  20  hours  to  48,  before  the  wort  is  fit  to 
be  put  into  the  barrels.  In  the  barrels  the  fermentation  again 
goes  on,  and,  during  a  few  day*,  a  copious  discharge  of  yeast 
takes  place  from  the  bung  hole ;  when  care  must  be  taken 
that  the  barrels  are  filled  every  day  with  fresh  liquor:  this 
discharge  gradually  becomes  less,  and  in  about  a  week  it 
ceases  :  in  which  time  the  bung  hole  is  closed,  and  the  liquor 
is  fit  for  use  after  it  has  stood  a  certain  time,  according  to  its 
strength,  and  the  temperature  at  which  it  ha  >  been  fermented. 

For  ales-)  the  paler  kinds  of  malt  are  uced,  and  little  hops, 
as  they  are  required  not  to  taste  bitter.  But  for  porter*,  the 
brown  malts  are  used,  and  a  larger  quantity  of  hops.  It  is 
bad  economy  to  use  malts  that  are  very  highly  dried,  as  the 
deepening  of  the  colour  is  owing  to  a  part  of  the  saccharine 
matter  being  carbonized.  A  dark  colour  may  be  procured 
more  economically  by  burnt  sugar.  Hops  are  added  to  ale 
or  beer,  because  they  afford  a  resinous,  aromatic  matter, 
\vhich  is  requisite  to  correct  insipidity  and  sweetness,  and  to 
render  the  liquor  capable  of  preservation  for  a  due  length  of 
time.  It  is  in  Great  Britain  prohibited  by  law  to. use  any 
substance  in  brewing,  as  a  substitute  for  hops. 

467.     DYEING. — Principles  of  Dyeing. 

The  substances  commonly  employed  for  clothing  may  be 
reduced  to  four,  viz.  wool,  silk,  cotton,  and  linen. 

Permanent  alterations  in  the  colour  of  cloth  can  only  be 
induced  two  ways  ;  either  by  producing  a  chemical  change 
in  the  cloth,  or  by  covering  its  fibres  with  some  substance 
which  possesses  the  wished  for  colour.  Recourse  can  seldom 
or  never  to  be  had  tr  the  first  method,  because  it  is  hardly 
po^ible  to  produce  a  chemical  change  in  the  fibres  of  cloth 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  161 

without  spoiling  its  texture  and  render:  less.  The 

dyer,  therefore,  when  he  wishes  to  givv  a  new  co-our  to 
cloth,  has  always  recourse  to  the  second  metl, 

The  substances  employed  for  this  purpose  are  callod  col* 
•tiring  matters,  or  dye  stuffs.  They  are  for  the  most  part  ex- 
tracted from  animal  and.  vegetable  substances,  and  have  usu- 
ally the  colour  which  they  intend  to  give  to  the  cloth.  Since 
the  particles  of  colouring  matter  with  which  clot.h  when 
dyed  is  covered,  are  transparent,  it  follows,  that  all  the  light 
reflected  from  dyed  cloth  must  be  reflected,  not  by  the  dye 
stuff  itself,  but  by  the  fibres  of  the  cloth  below  the  dye  stuff. 
The  colour  therefore  does  not  depend  upon  the  dye  alone, 
but  abo  upon  the  previous  colour  of  the  cloth.  If  the  cloth 
be  blacky  it  is  clear  that  we  cannot  dye  it  any  other  colour 
whatever  ;  because  as  no  light  in  that  case  is  reflected,  none 
can  be  transmitted,  whatever  dye  stuff  we  employ.  If  the 
eloth  were  red,  or  blue,  or  yellow,  we  could  not  dye  it  any 
v colour  except  black  ;  because,  as  only  red,  or  blue,  or  yellow 
rays  were  reflected,  no  other  could  be  transmitted.  Hence 
the  importance  of  a  fine  white  colour,  when  cloth  is  to  re- 
ceive bright  dyes.  It  then  reflects  all  the  rays  in  abundance, 
and  therefore  any  colour  may  be  given,  by  covering  it  with 
a  dye  stuff  which  transmits  only.some  particular  rays. 

If  the  colouring  matters  were  merely  spread  over  the  sur- 
face of  the  fibres  of  cloth  by  the  dyer,  the  colours  produced 
.might  be  very  bright,  but  they  could  not  be  permanent ;  be- 
cause the  colouring  matter  would  be  very  soon  rubbed  off; 
and  would  totally  disappear  whenever  the  cloth  was  washed, 
or  even  barely  exposed  to  the  weather.  The  colouring  mat«~ 
ter  then,  however  perfect  a  colour  it  possesses,  is  of  no  value, 
unless  it  also  adheres  so  firmly  to  the  cloth  that  none  of  the 
substances  usually  applied  to  cloth,  in  order  to  clean  it*  £c. 
can  displace  it.  Now  this  can  only  happen,  when  there  is  a 
strong  affinity  between  the  colouring  matter  and  the  cloth, 
and  when  they  are  actually  combined  together  in  consequence 
of  that  affinity. 

Dyeing  then  is  merely  a  chemical  process,  and  consists  in 
combining  a  certain  colouring  matter  with  fibres  of  cloth. 
This  process  can  in  no  instance  be  performed,  unless  the  dye 
stuff  be  first  reduced  to  its  integrant  particles ;  for  the  attrac- 
tion of  aggregation  between  the  particles  of  dye  stuffs,  is  too 
great  to  be  overcome  by  the  affinity  between  them  and  the 
cloth,  unless  they  could  be  brought  within  much  smaller  dis- 
tances than  is  possible  while  they  both  remain  in  a  solid  form* 
It  is  necessary,  therefore,  previously  to  dissolve  the  colouring 
matter  in  some  liquid  or  other,  which  has  a  weaker  affinity 
for  it  than  the  cloth  has.  When  the  cloth  is  dipped  into  this 
solution,  the  colouring  matter,  reduced  by  this  contrivance 
3?  & 


162        SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

to  a  liquid  state,  is  brought  within  the  attracting  distance  ; 
the  cloth  therefore  acts  upon  it,  and  from  its  stronger  affinity 
takes  it  from  the  solvent,  and  fixes  it  upon  itself.  By  this 
contrivance  too,  the  equality  of  the  colour  is  in  some  mea- 
sure secured,  a?  every  part  of  the  cloth  has  an  opportunity 
of  attracting  to  itself  the  proper  proportion  of  colouring 
particles. 

The  facillity  with  which  cloth  imbibes  a  dye,  depends  up- 
on two  things ;  viz.  the  affinity  between  the  cloth  and  the 
dye  stuff,  and  the  affinity  between  the  dye  stuff  and  its  sol- 
vent. It  is  directly  as  the  former,  and  inversely  as  the  latter. 
It  13  of  importance  to  preserve  a  due  proportion  between 
these  two  affinities,  as  upon  that  proportion  much  of  the  ac- 
curacy of  dyeing  depends.  If  the  affinity  between  the  col- 
ouring matter  and  the  cloth  be  too  great,  compared  with  the 
affinity  between  the  colouring  matter  and  the  solvent,  the 
cloth  will  take  the  dye  too  rapidly,  and  it  will  be  scarcely 
possible  to  prevent  its  colour  from  being  unequal.  On  the 
other  hand,  if  the  affinity  between  the  colouring  matter  and 
the  solvent  be  too  great,  compared  with  that  between  the 
colouring  matter  and  the  cloth,  the  cloth  will  either  not  take 
the  colour  at  all,  or  it  will  take  it  very  slowly  and  very  faintly. 

Wool  has  the  strongest  affinity  for  almost  all  colouring 
matters,  silk  the  next  strongest,  cotton  a  considerably  weak- 
« r  affinity,  and  linen  the  weakest  affinity  of  all.  Therefore, 
in  order  to  dye  cotton  or  linen,  the  dye  stuff  should  in  many 
cases  be  dissolved  in  a  substance  for  which  it  has  a  weaker 
affinity  than  for  the  solvent  employed  in  the  dyeing  of  wool 
or  silk.  Thus  we  may  use  oxyde  of  iron  dissolved  in  sulphu- 
ric acid,  in  order  to  jive  wool ;  but  for  cotton  and  linen,  it 
Is  better  to  dissolve^Rn  acetous  acid. 

Were  it  possible  to  procure  a  sufficient  number  of  colour- 
ing matters,  having  a  strong  affinity  for  cloth,  to  answer  alt 
the  purposes  of  dyeing,  that  art  would  be  exceedingly  simple 
and  easy.  But  this  is  by  no  means  the  case  ;  if  we  except  in- 
digo, the  dyer  is  scarcely  possessed  of  a  dye  stuff  winch  yields 
of  itself  a  good  colour,  sufficiently  permanent  to  deserve  the 
mame  of  a  dye. 

This  difficulty,  which  at  first  sight  appears  insurmountable, 
Las  been  obviated  by  a  very  ingenious  contrivance.  Some 
substance  is  pitched  upon,  which  has  a  strong  affinity,  both 
for  the  cloth  and  the  colouring  matter.  This  substance  is 
previously  combined  with  cloth,  which  is  then  dipped  into 
the  solution  containing  the  dye  stuff.  The  dye  stuff  COUK 
bines  with  the  intermediate  substance,  which  being  firmly 
combined  with  the  cloth,  secures  the  permanence  of  the  dye. 
Substances  employed  for  this  purpose  are  denominated  rnor* 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.          1C3 

The  most  important  part  of  dyeing  is  undoubtedly  the 
proper  choice,  and  the  proper  application  of  mordants,  as 
upon  them,  the  permanency  of  almost  every  dye  depends. 
Every  thing  which  has  been  said  respecting  the  application  of 
colouring  matters,  applies  equally  to  the  application  of  mor- 
dants. They  must  be  previously  dissolved  in  some  liquid, 
which  has  a  weaker  affinity  to  them  than  the  cloth  has,  to 
which  they  are  to  be  applied  ;  and  the  cloth  must  be  dipped, 
or  even  steeped  in  this  solution,  in  order  to  saturate  itself 
with  the  mordant. 

Almost  the  only  substances  used  as  mordants,  are  earths* 
metallic  oxydes,  tan,  and  oil. 

Of  earthy  mordants  the  most  important,  and  mo^t  gener- 
ally used,  is  alumine.  It  is  used  either  in  the  state  of  com- 
mon alum/ in  which  it  is  combined  with  sulphuric  acid,  or 
in  that  of  acetite  of  alumine. 

Alum,  when  used  as  a  mordant,  is  dissolved  in  water,  and 
very  frequently  a  quantity  of  tartar  is  dissolved  along  with  it. 
Into  this  solution  the  cloth  is  put,  and  kept  in  it  till  it  has 
absorbed  as  much  alumine  as  is  necessary.  It  is  then  taken, 
out,  and  for  the  most  part  washed  and  dried.  It  is  now  a 
good  deal  heavier  than  it  was  before,  owing  to  the  alumine 
which  has  combined  with  it.  The  tartar  serves  two  purpos- 
es ;  the  potash  which  it  contains,  combine?  with  the  sulphu^ 
ric  acid  of  the  alum,  and  thus  prevents  that  very  corrosive 
substance  from  injuring  the  texture  of  the  cloth,  which  otrn 
erwise  might  happen:  the  tartareous  acid,  on  the  other  hand, 
combines  with  part  of  the  alumine,  and  forms  a  tartrite  of 
alumine,  which  is  more  easily  decomposed  by  the  cloth  thai* 
alum. 

Acetite  of  alumine  has  been  but  lately  introduced  into  dye** 
ing.  This  mordant  is  now  prepared  by  pouring  acetite  o£ 
lead  into  a  solution  of  alum  ;  a  double  decomposition  takes 
place,  the  sulphureous  acid  combines  with  the  lead,  and  the 
compound  precipitates,  in  the  form  of  an  insoluble  powder, 
while  the  alumine  combines  with 'the  acetous  acid,  and  re- 
mains dissolved  in  the  liquid.  This  mordant  is  employed  for 
cotton  and  linen,  which  have  a  weaker  affinity  than  wool  for 
alumine.  It  answers  much  better  than  alum ;  the  cloth  is 
more  easily  saturated  with  alumine,  and  takes,  in  conse- 
quence, both  a  richer  and  a  more  permanent  colour. 

Besides  alumine,  lime  is  sometimes  used  as  a  mordant, 
Cloth  has  a  strong  affinity  enough  for  it ;  but,  in  general,  it 
does  not  answer  so  well,  as  it  does  not  give  so  good  a  colour. 
"When  used,  it  is  either  in  the  state  of  lime-water,  or  of  sul* 
phate  of  lime  dissolved  in  water. 

Almost  all  the  metallic  oxydes  have  an  affinity  for  cloth, 
but  only  two  of  them  are  extensively  used  as.  mordants,  viz,, 
the  oxydes  of  tin;  and  of  iroa. 


l  C4  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES, 

*The  oxyde  of  tin  was  first  introduced  into  dyeing  by  Kus- 
TER,  a  German  chemist,  who  brought  the  secret  to  London 
iir  1543.  This  period  forms  an  asra  in  the  history  of  dyeing. 
The  oxyde  of  tin  has  enabled  the  moderns  greatly  to  surpass 
the  ancients  in  the  fineness  of  their  colours ;  by  means  of  it 
alone,  scarlet,  the  brightest  of  ail  colours,  is  produced. 

Tin,  as  PROUST  has  proved,  is  capable  of  two  degrees  of 
oxydation.  The  first  oxyde  is  composed  of  0.70  parts  of  tin, 
and  0.30  of  oxygen ;  the  second,  or  white  oxyde,  of  0.60 
parts  of  tin,  and  0.40  Of  oxygen.  The  first  oxyde  absorbs 
oxygen  with  very  great  facility,  even  from  the  air,  and  is  rap- 
idly converted  into  white  oxyde.  This  fact  makes  it  certain, 
that  it  is  the  white  oxyde  of  tin  alone,  which  is  the  real  mor- 
dant ;  even  if  the  other  oxyde  were  applied  to  cloth,  as  it 
probably  often  is,  it  must  soon  be  converted  into  white  oxyde, 
by  absorbing  oxygen  from  the  atmosphere. 

Tin  is  used  as  a  mordant  in  three  states :  dissolved  in  nitro 
muriatic  acid,  in  acetous  acid,  and  in  a  mixture  of  sulphuric 
and  muriatic  acids.  Nitro  muriate  of  tin  is  the  common 
mordant  employed  by  dyers.  They  prepare  it  by  dissolving 
tin  in  diluted  nitric  acid,  to  which  a  certain  proportion  of 
muriate  of  soda,  or  of  ammonia,  is  added.  Part  of  the  nitric 
acid  decomposes  the.;e  salts,  combines  with  their  base,  and 
sets  the  muriatic  acid  at  liberty.  They  prepared  it  at  first 
with  nitric  acid  alone,  but  that  mode  was  very  defective,  be- 
cause the  nitric  acid  very  readily  converts  tin  to  white  oxyde, 
and  then  is  capable  of  dissolving  it.  The  consequence  of 
which  was,  the  precipitation  of  the  whole  of  the  tin.  To 
remedy  this  defect,  common  salt,  or  sal  ammoniac,  was  very 
soon  added  ;  muria|k  acid  having  the  property  of  dissolving 
white  oxyde  of  tin  very  readily.  A  considerable  saving  of 
nitric  acid  might  be  obtained,  by  employing  as  much  sulphu- 
ric acid  as  is  just  sufficient  to  saturate  the  base  of  the  com- 
mon salt,  or  sal  ammoniac  employed. 

When  the  nitro  muriate  of  tin  is  to  be  used  as  a  mordant, 
it  is  dissolved  in  a  large  quantity  of  water,  and  the  cloth  is 
dipped  in  the  solution,  and  allowed  to  remain  till  sufficient- 
ly saturated.  It  is  then  taken  out,  washed,  and  dried.  Tar- 
tar is  usually  dissolved  in  the  water  along  with  the  nitro  mu- 
riate. The  consequence  of  this  is  a  double  decomposition, 
the  nitro  muriatic  acid  combines  with  the  potash  of  the  tar- 
tar, while  the  tartareous  acid  dissolves  the  oxyde  of  tin, 
When  tartar  is  used,  therefore,  in  any  considerable  quantity, 
the  mordant  is  not  a  nitro  muriate,  but  a  tartrite  of  tin. 
*  Iron,  like  tin,  is  capable  of  two  degrees  of  oxydation ;  but 
the  green  oxyde  absorbs  oxygen  so  readily  from  the  atmos- 
phere, that  it  is  very  soon  converted  into  the  red  oxyde.  It 
is  only  this  last  oxyde  which  is  really  used  as  a  mordant  in. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  MS 

dyeing.  The  green  oxyde  is,  indeed,  sometime'?  applied  to 
cloth  ;  but  it  very  soon  absorbs  oxygen,  and  is  converted  in- 
to the  red  oxyde.  This  oxyde  has  a  very  strong  affinity  for 
all  kinds  of  cloth.  The  permanency  of  the  iron  spots  on  lin- 
en and  cotton  is  a  sufficient  proof  of  this.  As  a  mordant,  it 
is  used  in  two  states ;  in  that  of  sulphate  of  iron,  and  acetite 
of  iron.  The  first  is  commonly  used  for  wool.  The  salt  is 
dissolved  in  water,  and  the  cloth  dipped  in  it.  It  may  be 
used  also  for  cotton,  but  in  most  ca?es  acetite  of  iron  is  pre» 
ferred.  It  is  prepared  by  dissolving  iron,  or  its  oxyde,  in 
vinegar,  sour  beer,  &c  and  the  longer  it  is  kept,  the  more  it 
is  preferred.  The  reason  is,  that  the  mordant  succeeds  be^t 
when  the  iron  is  in  the  state  of  red  oxyde.  It  would  be  bet- 
ter then  to  oxydate  the  iron,  or  convert  it  into  rust,  before 
using  it ;  which  might  easily  be  done,  by  keeping  it  for  some 
time  in  a  moist  place,  and  sprinkling  it  occasionally  with 
water. 

Tan  has  a  very  strong  affinity  for  cloth,  and  for  several  col- 
ouring matters ;  it  i  therefore  very  frequently  employed  as 
a  mordant.  An  infusion  of  nut-galls*,  or  of  sumach,  or  any 
other  substance  containing  tan,  is  made  in  water,  and  the 
cloth  is  dipped  in  this  infusion,  and  allowed  to  remain  till 
it  has  absorbed  a  sufficient  quantity  of  tan.  Silk  is  capable 
of  absorbing  a  very  great  proportion  of  tan,  and  by  that 
means  acquires  a  great  increase  of  weight.  Manufacturers 
sometimes  employ  this  method  of  increasing  the  weight  of 
silk. 

Tan  is  often  employed  al-o,  along  with  other  mordants,  in 
order  to  produce  a  compound  mordant.  Oil  is  also  used  for 
the  same  purpose,  in  the  dyeing  of  cotton  and  linen.  The 
mordants  with  which  tan  most  frequently  is  combined,  are 
alumine,  and  oxyde  of  iron 

Besides  these  mordants,  there  are  several  other  substances 
frequently  used  as  auxiliaries,  either  to  facilitate  the  combi- 
nation of  the  mordant  with  the  cloth,  or  to  alter  the  shade  of 
colour ;  the  chief  of  these  are,  tartar,  acetite  of  lead,  common 
salt,  ja/  ammoniac,  sulphate  or  acetite  of  copper,  &c. 

Mordants  not  only  render  the  dye  permanent,  but  have  al- 
so considerable  influence  on  the  colour  produced.  The  same 
colouring  matter  produces  very  different  dyes,  according  as 
the  mordant  is  changed.  Suppose,  for  instance,  that  the  col- 
ouring matter  be  cochineal ;  if  we  use  the  aluminous  mor- 
dant, the  cloth  will  acquire  a  crimson  colour  ;  but  the  oxyde 
of  iron  produces  with  it  a  black. 

In  dyeing  then,  it  is  not  only  necessary  to  procure  a  mor- 
dant which  has  a  sufficiently  strong  affinity  for  the  colouring 
matter  and  the  cloth,  and  a  colouring  matter  which  possesses 
the  wished  for  colour  in  perfection,  but  we  must  procure  a 


166  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

Eiordant  and  a  colouring  matter  of  such  a  nature,  that  when 
tombined  together,  they  shall  possess  the  wished  for  colour  in 
perfection.  It  is  evident  too,  that  a  great  variety  of  colours 
may  be  produced  with  a  single  dye  stuff,  provided  we  can 
change  the  mordant  sufficiently. 

The  colouring  matter  with  which  the  cloth  is  dyed,  does 
not  cover  every  portion  of  its  :  urface  ;  its  particles  attach 
themselves  to  the  cloth  at  certain  distances  from  each  other ; 
for  cloth  may  be  dyed  different  shades  of  the  same  colour, 
lighter  or  darker,  merely  by  varying  the  quantity  of  colour- 
ing matter.  With  a  small  quantity,  the  shade  is  light ;  and 
it  becomes  deeper  as  the  quantity  increases  ;  now  this  would 
be  impossible,  if  the  dye  stuff  covered  the  whole  of  the  cloth. 

That  the  particles  of  colouring  matter,  even  when  the  shade 
is  deep,  are  at  some  distance,  is  evident  from  this  well  known 
fact,  that  cloth  may  be  dyed  two  colours  at  the  same  time. 
All  those  colours  to  which  the  dyers  give  the  name  of  com- 
foimd,  are  in  fact  two  different  colours  applied  to  the  cloth 
at  once.  Thus  cloth  gets  a  green  colour,  by  being  first  dyed 
blue  and  then  yellow. 

The  colours  denominated  by  dyers  simple,  because  they  are 
the  foundation  of  all  their  other  processes,  are  four,  viz.  first, 
blue ;  second,  yellow  ;  third,  red ;  fourth,  black.  To  these 
they  usually  add  a  fifth,  under  the  name  of  root,  or  brown 
colour. 

468.     Of  Dyeing  Blue. 

The  only  colouring  matters  employed  in  dyeing  blue,  are 
woad,  and  indigo. 

Woad  is  a  plant  cultivated  in  this  kingdom,  and  even  grow- 
ing wild  in  some  parts  of  England. 

Indigo  is  a  blue  powder,  extracted  from  a  species  of  plants 
which  is  cultivated  for  that  purpose  in  the  East  and  West 
Indie?.  These  plants  contain  a  peculiar  green  pollen,  which 
in.  that  state  is  solable  in  water.  This  pollen  has  a  strong 
affinity  for  oxygen,  which  it  attracts  greedily  from  the  at- 
mosphere ;  in  consequence  of  which  it  assumes  a  blue  col- 
our and  becomes  insoluble  in  water. 

Indigo  has  a  very  strong  affinity  for  wool,  silk,  cotton,  and 
linen.  Every  kind  of  cloth,  therefore,  may  be  dyed  with  it, 
without  the  assistance  of  any  mordant  whatever.  The  colour 
thus  induced  is  very  permanent ;  because  the  indigo  is  already 
raturated  with  oxygen,  and  because  it  is  not  liable  to  be  de- 
composed by  those  substances,  to  the  action  of  which  the 
cloth  i-j  exposed.  But  it  can  only  be  applied  to  cloth  in  a 
state  of  solution  ;  and  the  only  solvent  known  being  sulphu- 
iic  acid,  it  would  seem  at  first  sight,  that  the  sulphuric  acid 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.          u? 

solution  is  the  only  state  in  which  indigo  can  be  -employed 
as  a  dye. 

Wool  and  silk  are  often  dyed  blue  by  the  sulphate  of  in- 
digo ;  but  it  can  scarcely  be  applied  to  cotton  and  linen,  be- 
cause the  affinity  of  these  substances  for  indigo  is  not  great 
enough  to  enable  them  readily  to  decompose  the  sulphate. 
The  colour  given  by  sulphate  of  indigo  is  exceedingly  beau- 
tiful ;  it  is  known  by  the  name  of  Saxon  blue. 

One  part  of  indigo  is  to  be  dissolved  in  four  parts  of  con- 
centrated sulphuric  acid  ;  to  the  solution  one  part  of  dry  car- 
bonate of  potash  is  to  be  added,  and  then  it  it  is  to  be  diluted 
with  eight  times  its  weight  of  water.  The  cloth  must  be  boil- 
ed for  an  hour  in  a  solution,  containing  five  parts  of  alum, 
and  three  of  tartar,  for  every  32  parts  of  cloth.  It  is  then  to 
be  thrown  into  a  water  bath,  containing  a  greater  or  smaller 
proportion  of  the  diluted  sulphate  of  indigo,  according  to 
the  shade  which  the  cloth  is  intended  to  receive.  In  this  bath 
it  must  be  boiled  till  it  has  acquired  the  wished  for  colour. 

The  alum  and  tartar  are  not  intended  to  act  as  mordants, 
but  to  facilitate  the  decomposition  of  the  sulphate  of  indigo. 
The  alkali  added  to  the  sulphate,  answers  the  same  purpose. 
These  substances  also,  by  saturating  part  of  the  sulphuric 
acid,  serve  in  some  measure  to  prevent  the  texture  of  the 
cloth  from  being  injured  by  the  action  of  the  acid,  which  is 
very  apt  to  happen  in  this  process. 

But  sulphate  of  indigo  is  by  no  means  the  only  solution  of 
that  pigment  employed  in  dyeing.  By  far  the  most  common 
method  is,  to  deprive  indigo  of  the  oxygen,  to  which  it  owes 
its  blue  colour,  and  thus  to  reduce  it  to  the  state  of  greea 
pollen  ;  and  then  to  disolve  it  in  water  by  means  of  alkalis, 
or  alkaline  earths,  which  in  that  state  act  upon  it  very  readily. 

Two  different  methods  are  employed  for  this  purpose. 
The  first  of  these  methods  is,  to  mix  with  indigo  a  solution 
of  some  substance  which  has  a  stronger  affinity  for  oxygen 
than  the  green  basis  of  indigo  :  green  oxyde  of  iron,  for  in- 
stance, and  different  metallic  sulphurets.  If  therefore  indigo, 
lime,  and  green  sulphate  of  iron,  be  mixed  together  in  water, 
the  indigo  gradually  lo^es  its  blue  colour,  becomes  green,  and 
is  dissolved  ;  while  the  green  oxyde  of  iron  is  converted  into 
the  red  oxyde.  The  manner  in  v/hich  these  changes  take 
place  is  obvious ;  part  of  the  lime  decomposes  the  sulphate 
of  iron  ;  the  green  oxyde,  the  instant  that  it  is  set  at  liberty,  at- 
tracts oxygen  from  the  indigo,  decomposes  it,  and  reduces  it 
to  the  state  of  green  pollen.  This  green  pollen  is  immedi- 
ately dissolved  by  the  action  of  th£  rest  of  the  lime. 

The  second  method  is,  to  mix  the  indigo  in  water  with 
certain  vegetable  substances,  which  readily  undergo  fermen- 
tation. During  this  fermentation,  the  indigo  is  deprived  of 


168  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

its  oxygen,  and  dissolved  by  means  of  quick-lime  or  alkali, 
which  is  added  to  the  solution.  The  first  of  these  methods 
is  usually  followed  in  dyeing  cotton  and  linen  ;  the  second, 
in  dyeing  wool  and  silk.' 

In  the  dyeing  of  wool,  woad  and  bran  are  commonly  em- 
ployed as  vegetable  ferments,  and  lime  as  the  solvent  of  the 
green  base  of  the  indigo.  Woad  contains  itself  a  colouring 
matter  precisely  similar  to  indigo  ;  by  following  the  common 
process,  indigo  may  be  extracted  from  it.  In  the  usual  state 
of  woad,  when  purchased  by  the  dyer,  the  indigo  which  it 
contains  is  probably  not  far  from  the  state  of  the  green  pol- 
len. Its  quantity  in  woad  is  but  small,  and  it  is  mixed  with 
a  great  proportion  of  other  vegetable  matter. 

When  the  cloth  is  first  taken  out  of  the  vat,  it  is  of  a  green 
colour  ;  but  it  soon  becomes  blue,  by  attracting  oxygen  from 
the  air.  It  ought  to  be  carefully  washed,  to  carry  off  the 
uncombined  particles.  This  solution  of  indigo  is  liable  to 
two  inconveniences;  first,  it  is  apt  sometimes  to  run  too  fast 
into  the  putrid  fermentation  ;  this  may  be  known  by  the  pu- 
trid vapours  which  it  exhales,  and  by  the  disappearing  of  the 
green  colour*  In  this  state  it  would  soon  destroy  the  indigo 
.altogether.  The  inconvenience  is  remedied  by  adding  more 
lime,  which  has  the  property  of  moderating  the  putrescent 
tendency.  Secondly,  sometimes  the  fermentation  goes  on  too- 
languidly.  This  defect  is  remedied  by  adding  more  bran  or 
woad,  in  order  to  diminish  the  proportion  of  quick-lime. 

Silk  is  dyed  light  blue  by  a  ferment  of  six  parts  of  bran, 
six  of  indigo,  six  of  potash,  and  one  of  madder.  To  dye  it  of 
a  dark  blue,  it  must  previously  receive  what  is  called  a 
ground  colour ;  archil  is  used  for  this  purpose. 

Cotton  and  linen  are  dyed  blue  by  a  solution  of  one  part  of 
indigo,  one  part  of  green  sulphate  of  iron,  and  two  parts  of 
quick-lime. 

469.     Of  Dyeing  Fellow. 

The  principal  colouring  matters  for  dyeing  yellow  are 
weld,  fustic,  and  quercitron  bark. 

Weld  is  a  plant  which  grows  commonly  in  Great  Britain. 

Fustic  is  the  wood  of  a  large  tree  which  grows  in  the  West 
Indies. 

Quercitron  is  a  tree  growing  naturally  in  North  America, 
the  bark  of  which  contains  colouring  matter. 

Yellow  colouring  matters  have  too  weak  art  affinity  for 
cloth,  to  produce  permanent  colours  without  the  use  of  mor- 
dants. Cloth,  therefore,  before  it  be  dyed  yellow,  is  always 
prepared  by  combining  some  mordant  or  other  with  it.  The 
mordant  most  commonly  employed  for  this  purpose^  is  aiu- 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  169 

mine,  Oxyde  of  tin  is  sometimes  used  when  very  fine  yel- 
lows are  wanting.  Tan  is  often  employed  as  a  subsidiary  to 
alumine,  and  in  order  to  fix  it  more  copiously  on  cotton  and 
linen.  Tartar  is  also  ueed  as  an  auxiliary,  to  brighten  the 
colour ;  and  muriate  of  soda,  sulphate  of  lime,  and  even  sul- 
phate of  iron,  in  order  to  render  the  shade  deeper. 

The  yellow  dyed  by  means  of  fustic  is  more  permanent, 
but  not  so  beautiful  as  that  given  by  weld  or  quercitron.  As 
it  is  permanent,  and  not  much  injured  by  acids,  it  is  often 
used  in  dyeing  compound  colours,  where  a  yellow  is  requir~ 
ed.  The  mordant  is  alumine.  When  the  mordant  is  oxyde 
of  iron,  fustic  dyes  a  good  permanent  drab  colour. 

Weld  and  quercitron  bark  yield  nearly  the  same  kind  of 
colour ;  but  as  the  bark  yields  colouring  matter  in  much 
greater  abundance,  it  is  much  more  convenient,  and,  upon 
the  whole,  cheaper  than  weld.  It  is  probable,  therefore,  that 
it  will  gradually  supersede  the  use  of  that  plant.  The  me- 
thod of  ucing  each  of  the  dye  stuffs  is  nearly  the  same. 

Wool  may  be  dyed  yellow  by  the  following  process.  Let 
It  be  boiled  for  an  hour  or  more  with  about  one-sixth  of  its 
weight  of  alum,  dissolved  in  a  sufficient  quantity  of  water.  It 
is  then  to  be  plunged,  without  being  rinsed,  into  a  bath  of 
warm  water,  containing  in  it  as  much  quercitron  bark,  as 
equals  the  weight  of  the  alum  employed  as  a  mordant.  The 
cloth  is  to  be  turned  through  the  boiling  liquid,  till  it  has  ac- 
quired the  intended  colour.  Then  a  quantity  of  clean  pow- 
dered chalk,  equal  to  the  hundreth  part  of  the  weight  of  the 
cloth,  is  to  be  stirred  in,  and  the  operation  of  dyeing  contin- 
ued for  eight  or  ten  minutes  longer.  By  this  method  a  pretty 
deep  and  lively  yellow  may  be  given  fully  as  permanent  as 
weld  yellow. 

For  very  bright  orange  or  golden  yellow,  it  is  necessary  to 
have  recourse  to  the  oxyde  of  tin  as  a  mordant* 

For  producing  bright  golden  yellows,  some  alum  must  be 
added  along  with  the  tin. 

In  order  to  give  the  yellow  that  delicate  green  shade  so 
much  admired  for  certain  purposes,  tartar  must  be  added  in 
different  proportions,  according  to  the  jhade. 

By  adding  a  small  proportion  of  cochineal,  the  colour  may 
be  raised  to  a  fine  orange,  or  even  an  aurora. 

Silk  may  be  dyed  different  shades  of  yellow,  either  by  weld 
or  quercitron  bark,  but  the  last  is  the  cheapest  of  the  two. 
The  proportion  should  be  from  one  to  two  parts  of  bark  to 
twelve  parts  of  silk,  according  to  the  shade.  The  bark,  tied 
up  in  a  bag,  should  be  put  into  the  dyeing  vessel,  while  the 
water  which  it  contains  is  cold  ;  and  when  it.  has  acquired  the 
heat  of  about  100°,  the  silk,  having  been  previously 
Q 


1 10          SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

should  be  dipped  in,  and  continued  till  it  assumes  the  wish- 
ed  for  colour.  When  the  shade  is  required  to  be  deep,  a  lit- 
tle chalk  or  pearlash  should  be  added  towards  the  end  of  .the 
operation. 

Cotton  and  linen  are  dyed  yellow  as  follows  :— 

The  mordant  should  be  acetite  of  alumine,  prepared  by 
dissolving  one  part  of  acetite  of  lead,  and  three  parts  of  alum, 
in  .a  sufficient  quantity  of  water.  This  solution  should  be 
heated  to  the  temperature  of  100°,  ths  cloth  should  be  soak- 
ed in  it  for  two  hours,  then  wrung  out  and  dried.  The  soak- 
ing may  be  repeated,  and  the  cloth  again  dried  as  before.  It 
is  then  to  be  barely  wetted  with  Jime  water,  and  afterwards 
dried.  The  soaking  in  the  acetite  of  alumine  may  be  again 
repeated,  and  if  the  shade  of  yellow  is  required  to  be  very 
bright  and  durable,  the  alternate  wetting  with  lime  water  and 
soaking  in  the  mordant  may  be  repeated  three  or  four  times. 

By  this  contrivance,  a  sufficient  quantity  of  alumine  is 
combined  with  the  cloth,  and  the  combination  is  rendered 
more  permanent  by  the  addition  of  some  lime.  The  dyeing 
bath  is  prepared  by  putting  1 2  or  18  parts  of  quercitron  bark 
(according  to  the  depth  of  the  shade  required,)  tied  up  in  a 
bag,  into  a  sufficient  quantity  of  cold  water.  Into  this  bath 
the  cloth  is  to  be  put,  and  turned  round  in  it  for  an  hour, 
while  its  temperature  is  gradually  raised  lo  about  120°  ;  it  is 
then  to  be  brought  to  a  rboiling  heat,  and  the  cloth  allowed 
to  remain  in  it  after  that  only  a  few  minutes.  If  it  be  kept 
long  at  a  boiling  heat,  the  yellow  acquires  a  shade  of  brown. 

Nankeen  yellow  is  obtained  by  a  solution  of  the  red  sul- 
phate of  iron,  which  is  combined  with  the  cloth, by  carbonate 
of  potash. 

470.     Of  Dyeing  Red. 

The  colouring  matters  employed  for  dyeing  red,  are 
kermes,  cochineal,  archil,  madder,  carthamus,  Brazil-wood, 
lac,  and  logwood.  %- 

Kermes  is  a  species  of  insect,  affording  a  red  colour  by  so- 
lution in  water ;  but  it  is  not  so  beautiful  as  cochineal,  which 
is  likewise  an  insect  brought  from  America.  The  decoction 
of  cochineal  is  a  very  beautiful  crimson  colour.  Alum  bright- 
ens the  colour  of  the  decoction,  and  occasions  a  crimson  pre- 
cipitate. Muriate  of  tin  gives  a  copious  fine  rad  precipitate. 

Archil  is  a  paste  formed  of  a  species  of  lichen  pounded,  and 
kept  moist  for  some  time  with  stale  urine. 

Madder  is  the  root  of  a  well  known  plant,  (rubia 
tinctorium. 

Carthamus  is  the  flower  of  a  plant  cultivated  in  Spain  and 
the  Levant,  It  contains  two  colouring  matters :  a  yellow, 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.          1 7 1 

ivhich  is  soluble  in  water,  and  a  red,  insoluble  in  water,  but 
soluble  in  alkaline  carbonates-  The  red  colouring  matter  of 
carthamus,  extracted  by  carbonate  of  soda,  and  precipitated 
by  lemon  juice,  constitutes  the  rouge  employed  by  ladies  a^  a 
paint.  It  is  afterwards  ground  with  a  certain  quantity  of 
talc.  The  fineness  of  the  talc,  and  the  proportion  of  it  mix- 
ed with  the  carthamus,  occasion  the  difference  between  the 
cheaper  and  dearer  kinds  of  rouge. 

Brazil  wood  is  the  wood  of  a  tree  growing  in  America  and 
the  West  Indies.  Its  decoction  is  a  fine  red  colour. 

None  of  the  red  colouring  matters  has  so  strong  an  af- 
finity for  cloth  as  to  produce  a  permanent  red,  without  the 
assistance  of  mordants.  The  mordants  employed  are.a!umine, 
and  oxyde  of  tin  ;  oil,  and  tan,  in  certain  processes,  are  also 
used  ;  and  tartar,  and  muriate  of  soda,  are  frequently  called 
in  as  auxiliaries. 

Lac^is  the  production  of  an  insect  brought  from  India. 
The  decoction  of  it,  in  water,  gives  a  deep  crim?on  colour. 

Logwood,  called  also  Campeachy  wood,  is  the  wood  that 
grows  in  Jamaica  and  the  bay  of  Campeachy;  It  gives  out 
its  colouring  matter,  which  is  of  a  fine  red,  copiously  to  alk- 
ohol,  and  more  sparingly  to  water. 

Wool  may  be  dyed  red  with  madder  or  archil,  but  these  are 
used  only  for  coarse  woollen  stuffs.  The  stuffs  are  first  boil- 
ed for  some  hours  in  alum  and  tartar,  and  then  wrung  out. 
After  remaining  some  days,  they  are  boiled  in  a  decoction  of 
madder. 

Scarlet  is  the  most  splendid  of  all  reds,  but  is  of  different 
shades,  like  other  colours.  Alumine  was  formerly  used  as  a 
mordant  for  fixing  the  cochineal  which  is  u?ed  for  dyeing  red, 
but  nitro  muriate  of  tin  is  now  employed  for  this  purpose,  as 
it  gives  a  brighter  colour  to  the  cochineal.  To  dye  woollen 
cloth  scarlet,  it  is  first  boiled  in  a  bath  of  pure'  tartar,  to 
which  a  little  cochineal  has  been  added,  and  also  nitro  muri- 
ate of  tin.  After  this  it  is  well  washed,  and  then  subjected  to 
a  second  bath  of  cochineal,  which  is  caljed  the  reddening. 
Sometimes  they  do  not  change  the  bath,  but  add-t he  redden- 
ing  to  the  first  bath. 

As  the  red  produced  by  cochineal  alone  is  rather  a  crimson 
than  a  bright  scarlet,  to  produce  the  Litter  it  is  necessary  first 
to  dye  the  cloth  yellow,  and  after  crimson,  as  bright  scarlet 
is  a  compound  of  crimson  and  yellow.  This  K  done  by  the 
use  of  fustic,  turmeric,  or  quercitron  bark,  in  the  first  bath  ; 
to  produce  the  yellow,  the  second  bath  is  cochineal  alone, 
which  naturally  gives  a  crimson  tinge. 

When  crimson  is  the  colour  required  to  be  dyed,  the  tin 
mordant  is  the  best,  but  sometimes  dyer*  use  alum  baths  for 
this  purpose,  and  then  a  decoction  of  cochineal.  The  addi- 


172-  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

tion  of  archil  and  potash  to  the  cochineal  renders  the  crimson 
darker,  and  gives  it  more  bloom,  but  this  is  very  fugacious. 
For  paler  crimsons,  a  portion  of  madder  is  substituted  for 
part  of  the  cochineal. 

Silk  is  usually  dyed  red  with  cochineal  or  carthamus,  and 
sometimes  with  Brazil-wood,  Kermes  does  not  answer  for 
silk  ;  madder  is  scarcely  ever  used  for  that  purpose,  because 
it  does  not  yield  a  colour  bright  enough.  Archil  is  employ- 
ed to  give  silk  a  bloom  ;.  but  it  is  scarcely  used  by  itself,  un- 
less when  the  colour  wanted  is  lilac. 

Silk  may  be  dyed  crimson  by  steeping  it  in  a  solution  of 
alum,  and  then  dyeing  it  in  the  irual  way  in  a  cochineal  bath. 

The  colours  known  by  the  names  of  poppy,  cherry,  roser 
and  fiesh*  colour,  are  given  to  silk  by  means  of  carthamus.. 
The  process  consists  merely  in  keeping  the  silk,  as  long  as  it 
extracts  any  colour,  in  an  alkaline  solution  of  carthamus,  in- 
to which  as  much  lemon  juice  as  gives  it  a  fine  cherry  colour, 
has  been  poured. 

Silk  cannot  be  dyed  a  full  scarlet ;  but  a  colour  approach- 
ing to  scarlet  may  be  given  it,  by  fir-t  impregnating  the  stuff 
with  murio  sulphate  of  tin,  and  afterwards  dyeing  it  in  a 
bath,  composed  of  four  parts  of  cochineal,  and  four  parts  of 
quercitron  bark.  To  give  the  colour  more  body,  both  the 
mordant  and  the  dye  may  be  repeated.  A  colour  approach- 
ing scarlet  may  be  also  given  to  silk,  by  first  dyeing  it  crim- 
son, then  dying  it  with  carthamus,  and  lastly,  yellow  with- 
out heat. 

Cotton  and  linen  are  dyed  red  with  madder.  The  process 
was  borrowed  from  the  East.  Hence,  the  colour  is  often 
called  Adrianople,  or  Turkey  red.  The  cloth  is  first  im- 
pregnated with  oil,  then  with  gal]?,  and  lastly,  with  alum.  It 
is  then  boiled  for  an  hour  in  a  decoction  of  madder,  which 
is  commonly  mixed  with  a  quantity  of  blood.  After  the 
cloth  is  dyed,  it  is  plunged  into  a  soda  lye,  in  order  to  bright- 
en the  colour.  The  red  given  by  this  process,  is  very  per- 
rnanent,  and  when  properly  conducted,  it  is  exceedingly  beau- 
tiful. The  whole  difficulty  consists  in  the  application  of  the 
mordant,  which  is  by  far  the  most  complicated  employed  ia 
the  whole  art  of  dyeing. 

Cotton  may  be  dyed  scarlet  by  means  of  murio  sulphate  of 
tin,  cochineal,  and  quercitron  bark,  used  as  fur  silk,  but  th$ 
colour  is  too  fading  to  be  of  any  value. 

471.     Of  Dyeing  Black. 

The  substances  employed  to  give  a  black  colour  to  cloth 
are,  red  oxyde  of  iron,  and  tan.  These  two  substances  have 
a  sLcvnkr  afiinity  for  each  other  ;  and  when  combined;  assume 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  1  ?s 

a  deep  black  colour,  not  liable  to  be  destroyed  by  the  action 
of  air  or  light. 

Logwood  is  usually  employed  as  an  auxiliary,  because  it 
communicates  lustre,  and  adds  considerably  to  the  fulnes;  of 
the  black.  Logwood  yields  its  colouring  matter  to  water. 
The  decoction  is  at  first  a  fine  red,  bordering  on  violet  ;  but 
if  left  to  itself,  it  gradually  assumes  a  black  colour.  Acids 
give  it  a  deep  red  colour  ;  alkalis  a  deep  violet,  inclining  to 
brown  ;  sulphate  of  iron  renders  it  as  black  as  ink,  and  oc- 
casions a  precipitate  of  the  same  colour. 

Cloth,  before  it  receives  a  black  colour,  is  usually  dyed 
blue  :  this  renders  the  colour  much  fuller  and  finer  than  it 
would  otherwise  be.  If  the  cloth  be  coarse,  the  blue  dye 
may  be  too  expensive  ;  in  that  case  a  brown  colour  is  givenr 
by  means  of  walnut  peels, 

Wool  is  dyed  black  by  the  following  process  :  —  It  is  boiled 
for  two  hours  in  a  decoction  of  nut-galls  ;  and  afterwards 
kept  for  two  hours  more  in  a  bath  composed  of  logwood  and 
sulphate  of  iron,  at  a  scalding  heat,  but  not  boiled.  During: 
the  operation,  it  must  be  frequently  exposed  to  the  air  ;  be- 
cause the  green  oxyde  of  iron,  of  which  the  sulphate  is  com- 
posed, must  be  converted  into  red  oxyde,  by  absorbing  oxy- 
gen, before  the  cloth  can  acquire  a  proper  colour.  The  com- 
mon proportions  are  five  parts  of  gal:s,  five  of  sulphate  of 
iron,  and  thirty  of  logwood,  for  every  hundred  of  cloth.  A 
little  acetite  of  copper  is  commonly  added  to  the  sulphate  of 
iron  ;  because  it  is  thought  to  improve  the  colour.  * 

Silk  is  dyed  nearly  in  the  same  manner.  It  is  capable  of 
combining  with  a  great  deal  of  tan  j  the-quantity  given  is  va- 
ried at  the  pleasure  of  the  artist,  by  allowing  tlie  silk  to  re- 
main a  longer  or  shorter  time  in  the  decoction. 

Linen  and  cotton  are  not  easy  to  dye  of  a  full  black.  Ther 
cloth,  previously  dyed  blue,  is  steeped  for  24  hours  in  a  de- 
coction of  nut-galls.  A  bath  is  prepared,  containing  acetite 
of  iron,  formed  by  saturating  acetous  acid  with  brown  oxyde 
©f  iron  :  into  this  bath  the  cloth  is  put  in  small  quantities  at 
a  time,  wrought  with  the  hand  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  then 
wrung  out,  and  aired  again  ;•  next  wrought  in  a  fresh  quanti- 
ty of  the  bath,  and  afterwards  aired.  These  alternate  pro* 
cesses  are  repeated,  till  the  colour  wanted  is  given.  A  de- 
coction of  alder-bark  is  usually  mixed  with  the  liquor  con* 
taining  the  nut-galls. 


Of  Dyeing  Brown. 

Brown,  or  fawn,  colour,  though  in  fact  a  compound,  is 
usually  ranked  among  the  simple  colours,  because  it  is  appli- 
ed to  cloth  by  p.  single  procejs.  Various  substances  are 
for  brown  des, 


1 74  SEC  RETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

Walnut  peels,  or  the  green  covering  of  the  walnut ;  when 
first  separated,  they  are  white  internally,  but  soon  assume  a 
brown,  or  even  a  black  colour,  on  exposure  to  the  air.  They 
readily  yield  their  colouring  matter  to  water.  They  are  usu- 
ally kept  in  large  casks,  covered  with  water,  for  above  a  year 
before  they  are  used,  To  dye  wool  brown  with  them,  no- 
thing more  is  necessary,  than  to  steep  the  cloth  in  a  decoc- 
tion of  them,  till  it  has  acquired  the  wished  for  colour. 
The  depth  of  the  shade  is  proportional  to  the  strength  of  the 
decoction.  The  root  of  the  walnut  tree  contains  the  same 
colouring  matter,  but  in  a  smaller  quantity.  The  bark  of 
the  burch  also,  and  many  other  trees,  may  be  used  for  the 
same  purpose.  It  is  very  probable  that  the  brown  colouring 
matter  is  in  these  vegetable  substances  combined  with  tan. 
This  is  certainly  the  case  in  sumach,  which  is  often  employ* 
ed  to  produce  a  brown.  This  combination  explains  the  rea- 
son why  no  mordant  is  necessary  ;  the  tan  has  a  strong  affin- 
ity for  cloth,  and  the  colouring  matter  for  the  tan.  The  dye 
stuff  and  the  mordant,  are  already,  in  fact,  combined  together. 

473.     Of  Dyeing  Compound  Colours. 

Compound  colours  are  produced  by  mixing  together  two 
fimple  ones ;  or,  which  is  the  same  thing,  by  dyeing  cloth 
first  one  simple  colour,  and  then  another.  These  colours  va- 
ry to  infinity,  according  to  the  proportions  of  the  ingredients 
employed.  They  may  be  arranged  under  the  following 
classes : — 

Mixtures. — 1.  Blue  and  yellow ;  2.  Blue  and  red;  3.  Yel- 
low and  red  ;  4.  Black  and  other  colours. 

Mixtures  of  blue  and  yellow.  This  forms  green,  which  is 
distinguished  by  dyers  into  a  variety  of  shades,  according  to 
the  depth  of  the  shade,  or  the  prevalence  of  either  of  the 
component  parts.  Thus  we  have  sea-green,  grass-green, pea- 
green,  &c 

Wool,  silk)  and  linen,  are  usually  dyed  green,  by  giving 
them  first  a  blue  colour,  and  afterwards  dyeing  them  yellow  ; 
because*  when  the  yellow  is  first  given,  several  inconvenien- 
ces follow  :  the  yellow  partly  separates  again  in  the  blue  vat, 
and  communicates  a  green  colour  to  it,  and,  thus  renders  it 
useless  for  every  other  purpose,  except  dyeing  green.  Any 
of  the  usual  processes  for  dyeing  blue  and  yellow  may  be  fol- 
lowed, taking  care  to  proportion  the  depth  of  the  shades  to 
that  of  the  green  required.  When  sulphate  of  indigo  is  em- 
ployed, it  is  usual  to  mix  all  the  ingredients  together,  and  to 
dye  the  cloth  at  once ;  this  produces  what  is  known  by  the 
same  of  Saxon,  or  English  green. 

Mixtures  of  bfa  and  red*    Tiiese  form  different  shades  of 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  175 

violet 9  purple,  arid  lilac.  Wool  is  generally  first  dyed  blue,, 
and  afterwards  scarlet,  in  the  usual  manner.  By  means  of 
cochineal  mixed  with  sulphate  of  indigo,  the  process  may  be 
performed  at  once.  Silk  is  first  dyed  crimson  by  means  of 
cochineal,  and  then  dipped  into  the  indigo  vat.  Cotton  and 
linen  are  first  dyed  blue,  then  galled,  and  soaked  in  a  decoc- 
tion of  log-wood  ;  but  a  more  permanent  colour  is  given  by 
means  of  oxyde  of  iron. 

Mixtures  of  yellow  and  red.  This  produces  orange.  When 
blue  is  combined  with  red  and  yellow  on  cloth,  the  resulting 
colour  is  olive*  Wool  may  fee  dyed  orange, -by  first  dyeing 
it  scarlet,  and  then  yellow.  When  it  is  dyed  first  with  mad- 
der, the  result  is  cinnamon  colour. 

Silk  is  dyed  orange  by  means  of  carthamus  ;  a  cinnamon 
colour  by  logwood,  Brazil-wood,  and  fustic  mixed  together. 

Cotton  and  linen  receive  a  cinnamon  colour  by  means  of 
weld  and  madder  ;  and  an  olive  colour,  by  being  passed 
through  a  blue,  yellow,  and  then  a  madder  bath. 

Mixtures  of  black  with  other  colours.  These  constitute  greys9 
drabs,  and.  browns.  If  cloth  be  previously  combined  with 
brown  oxyde  of  iron,  and  afterwards  dyed  yellow  with  quer« 
citron  bark,  the  result  will  be  a  drab  of  different  shades,  ac- 
cording to  the  proportion  of  mordant  employed.  When  the 
proportion  is  small,  the  colour  inclines  to  olive  or  yellow  ^ 
on  the  contrary,  the  drab  may  be  deepened  or  saddened,  as- 
the  dyers  term  it,  by  mixing  a  little  sumach  with  the  bark. 

474.      CURRYING* 

The  art  of  currying  consists  in  rendering  tanned  skins  sup»- 
pie  and  of  uniform  density,  and  impregnating  them  with  oil, 
so  as  to  render  them  in  a  great  degree  impervious  to  water. 

The  stronger  and  thicker  hides  are  usually  employed  for 
making  the  soles  of  boots  and  shoes,  and  the^e  are  rendered 
fit  for  their  several  purposes  by  the  shoe  makers  after  they 
are  tanned;  but  such  skins  as  are  intended  for  the  upper 
leathers  and  quarters  of  shoes,  for  the  legs  of  boots,  for  coach 
and  harness  leather,  saddles,  and  other  things,  must  be  sub- 
jected to  the.process  of  currying. 

These  skins  after  coming  from  the  tanners,  having  many 
fleshy  fibres  on  them,  are  well  soaked  in  common  water. 
They  are  then  taken  out  and  stretched  upon  a  very  even 
wooden  horse  ;  where  with  a  paring  knife  all  the  superfluous 
fiesh  13  scraped  off,  and  they  are  again  put  into  soak.  After 
the  .soaking  is  completed,  the  currier  takes  them  again  out  of 
the  water,  and  having  stretched  them  out,  presses  them  with 
his  feet,  or  a  fiat  stone  fixed  in  a  handle,  to  make  them  more 
supple,  and  to  press  out  all  the  filth  that  the  leather  may 


1 76  SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

have  acquired  in  tanning,  and  also  the  water  it  has  absorbed 
in  soaking. 

The  skins  are  next  to  be  oiled,  to  render  them  pliant  and 
impervious  to  wet.  After  they  are  half  dried,  they  are  laid 
upon  tables,  and  first  the  grain  side  of  the  leather  is  rubbed 
over  with  a  mixture  of  fish  oil  and  tallow  ;  then  the  flesh  side 
is  impregnated  with  a  large  proportion  of  oil.  After  having 
been  hung  up  a  sufficient  time  to  dry,  they  are  taken  dowa 
and  rubbed,  pressed,  and  folded  in  various  directions,  and 
then  spread  out,  when  they  are  rolled  with  considerable  press- 
ure upon  both  sides  with  a  fluted  board  fastened  to  the  ope- 
rator's hand  by  a  strap  ;  by  this  means,  and  by  repeating  the 
rolling,  a  grain  is  given  to  the  leather. 

After  the  skins  are  curried,  it  may  be  required  to  colour 
them.  The  colour-  usually  given  to  them  are  black,  white, 
red,  green,  yellow,  £c. 

If  the  skins  are  to  be  blacked,  the  process  varies  according 
to  the  side  of  the  skin  to  be  coloured.  Leather  that  is  to  be 
blacked  on  the  flesh  side,  which  is  the  ca*e  with  most  of  the 
finer  leather  intended  for  shoes  and  boots,,  is  coloured  with  a 
mixture  of  lamp  black,  oil,  and  tallow  rubbed  into  the  leather. 
And  what  is  to  be  coloured  on  the  grain  side  is  done  over 
with  chamber  lye,  and  then  with  a  solution  of  sulphate  of 
iron,  which  turns  it  black. 

475.      MANUFACTURE  OF  SODA. 

Soda,  or  the  mineral  alkali,  is  sometimes  found  in  a  native 
State,  as  in  the  lakes  of  Natron  in  Egypt,  which  are  dry  in  the 
summer  season  v  the  water  leaving  after  evaporation  a  bed  of 
soda,  or,  as  it  is  there  called,  natran,  of  two  feet  in  thickness. 

A  marine  plant,  called  the  Salso/a  soda,  which  grows  among 
the  cliffs  on  the  sea  coast,  seems  to  be  endowed  by  nature 
with  the  property  of  decomposing  the  salt  water,  that  is,  of 
separating  the  muriatic  acid  from  the  soda,,  which  latter  it 
absorbs  This  plant  is  collected  by  the  Spaniards  with  great 
care,  and  burnt  for  the  manufacture  of  barilla,  which  is  a 
carbonate  of  soda  mixed  with  various  impurities. 

Soda  is  also  procured  in  a  still  more  impure  state,  by  the 
burning  of  the  tea  weeds  on  our  own  shores,  particularly  in. 
Scotland,  from  which  is  produced  a  substance  called  kelp. 

But  the  demand  for  a  pure  carbonate  of  soda  having  be- 
come  very,  considerable  of  late  years,  from  its  great  utility  in 
many  aus  aad  -processes,,  various  means  have  been  tried  for 
procuring  it  by  decomposing  the  salts,  in  which  it  exists, 
combined  with  acids.  Muriate  of  soda  has  been  decompos- 
ed for  this  purpose,  but  this  process  has  been  found  too  ex- 
pensive. The  following  method  is  described  by  Mr,  Ace  urn,. 
in  NLchols^fs  Journal*. 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES-  177 

Solutions  of  500lbs.  of  sulphate  of  soda,*  and.  560lbs.  of 
American  potash,  are  made  to  boil,  and  are  then  mixed*  As 
soon  as  the  mixture  boils,  it  is  conveyed  into  a  cistern  of 
wood  lined  with  lead  half  an  inch  thick,  which  is  fixed  in  a 
cool  place.  Sticks  of  wood  are  then  phased  across  the  cis- 
tern, from  which  slips  of  sheet  lead,  two  or  three  inches  wide, 
are  hung  into  the  fluid,  at  four  inches  distance  from  each 
other.  When  all  is  coo),  the  fluid  is  let  off,  and  the  chrystal- 
lized  salt  is  detached  from  the  slips  of  lead,  and  the  bottom 
of  the  trough.  The  salt  is  then  washed,  to  free  it  from  im- 
purities, after  which  it  is  transferred  again  into  the  boiler, 
dissolved  in  clear  water,  and  evaporated  by  heat.  As  soon 
as  a  strong  pellicle  is  formed,  it  is  suffered  to  cool  so  far  that 
the  hand  may  be  dipped  into  it  without  injury,  and  the  heat 
is  kept  at  that  temperature  as  long  as  effectual  pellicles  con- 
tinue to  be  formed  over  the  whole  surface  of  the  boiier,  and 
then  fall  to  the  bottom.  When  no  more  are  formed,  the  fire 
is  withdrawn,  and  the  fluid  ladled  out  into  the  cistern  to 
chrystallize.  The  sulphate  of  potash,  &c.  which  had  been 
deposited,  is  then  taken  out  of  the  boiler,  and  put  aside-  By 
this  process  from  136  to  iS9lbs.  of  soda  may  be  obtained 
from  loolbs.  of  sulphate  of  soda. 

476.      MANUFACTURE  OF  POTASH. 

Potash,  or  the  fixed  vegetable  alkali,  exists  as  an  ingredient* 
in  very  small  quantity,  in  many  minerals.  It  is  also  obtained 
from  the  tartar,  or  from  lees  of  wine,  in  which  it  is  called  salt 
of  tartar  • 

But  the  great  supply  of  this  substance  is  procured  from 
the  ashes  of  burnt  vegetables. 

In  many  districts  of  England  and  Ireland,  they  burn  the 
common  fern  to  ashes,  which  they  mould  up  with  a  little  wa- 
ter into  bails  of  about  three  or  four  inches  in  diameter  ;  these, 
are  called  ash  balls^  and  are  the  rudest  preparation  of  this 
alkali. 

The  potash  of  commerce,  or  black  potash,  is  always  pro* 
cured  from  the  combustion  of  wood,  and  can  therefore  only 
be  made  in  those  countries  where  wood  is  very  plentiful,  as 
Poland,  Russia,  and  Germany.  This  country  is  chiefly  sup- 
plied from  America.  The  ashes  of  burnt  wood  are  put  into 
a  cistern  with  water,  and  a  strong  lixivium  is  made.  After  a 
time  the  water,  holding  the  alkali  in  solution,  is  drawn  off, 
leaving  the  impurities  behind 

Potash  is  converted  into  a  purer  state  by  calcinir.g  it  in  a 
reverberatory  furnace.  It  becomes  then  dry,  porous,  con- 

*  Sulphate  of  soda  is  sold  cheap  by  the  bleachers,  who  save  it  as  the  residue 
of  decomposing  common  salt  by  suiphuric  acid  with  manganese. 


178  SECRETS  Itt  ARTS  AND  TRADES. 

siderably  caustic,  extremely  deliquescent,  and  of  a  beautifujf 
bluish  colour,  from  which  it  is  called  pearl  ajb. 

All  the?e  are  carbonates  of  potash. 

To  obtain  potash  in  a  state  of  perfect  purity,  or  uncombin- 
ed  with  carbonic  acid,  the  carbonate  must  be  boiled  with 
twice  its  weight  of  quick-lime,  to  deprive  it  of  the  carbonic 
acid  ;  then  to  free  it  from  other  impurities,  it  must  be  dissol- 
ved in  spirits  of  wine,  (which  dissolves  alkalis  and  no  other 
salt)  and  the  solution  evaporated  to  dryness.  It  is  then  pure 
and  powerfully  caustic. 

477.     Method  cf  taking  a  Cast  in  plaster  Jrotn  a  per- 
son's  face. 

The  person  whose  Jikeness  is  required  in  plaster,  must  lie 
on  his  back,  and  the  hair  must  be  lied  back,  so  that  none  of 
it  covers  the  face.  Into  each  nostril  convey  a  conical  piece 
of  stiff  paper  open  at  both  ends,  to  allow  of  breathing.  The 
face  is  then  lightly  oiled  over  in  every  part  with  salad-oil,  to 
prevent  the  plaster  from  sticking  to  the  skin.  Procure  some 
fresh  burnt  plaster,  and  mix  it  with  water  to  a  proper  consist- 
ence, for  pouring.  Then  pour  it  by  spoonfuls  quickly  all 
over  the  face,  (taking  care  the  eyes  are  shut)  till  it  is  entirely 
covered  to  the  thickness  of  a  quarter  of  an  inch.  This  sub- 
stance will  grow  sensibly  hot,  and  in  a  few  minutes  will  be 
hard.  This  being  taken  off,  will  form  a  mould,  in  which  a 
head  of  clay  may  be  moulded,  and  therein  the  eyes  may  be 
opened,  and  such  other  additions  and  corrections  may  be 
made  as  are  necessary.  Then,  this  second  face  being  anoint- 
ed with  oil,  a  second  mould  of  plaster  must  be  made  upon 
it,  consisting  of  two  parts  joined  lengthwise  along  the  ridge 
of  the  nore  ;  and  in  this  a  cast  in  plaster  may  be  taken,  which 
will  be  exactly  like  the  original. 

478.     To  take  Casts  of  Medals. 

In  order  to  take  copies  of  medals,  a  mould  must  first  be 
made ;  thh  is  generally  either  of  plaster  of  Paris,  or  of  melt- 
ed sulphur. 

After  having  oiled  the  surface  of  the  medal  with  a  little 
cotton,  or  a  camel'?-h::ir  pencil  dipped  in  oil  of  olives,  put  a 
he  op  of  paper  round  i??  stamr  P;  -ip  abnve  the  surface  of  the 
thickness  you  with  <he  vnouid  t  be.  Then  take  some  plas- 
ter of  Pari  ,  mix  it  with  water  tc  the  con  istence  of  cream, 
and  with  a  brush  rub  it  over  tjie  surface  of  the  medal,  to 
prevent  air  hole-  from  appearing  ;  then  immediately  after- 
wards make  it  to  a  sufficient  thickness  by  pouring  on  more 
plaster.  Let  it  stand  about  half  an  hour,  and  it  will  in  that 


SECRETS  IN  ARTS  AND  TRADES.  179 

time  grow  so  hard,  that  you  may  safely  take  it  off;  then  pare 
it  smooth  on  the  back  and  round  the  edges  neatly.  It  should 
be  dried,  if  in  cold  or  damp  weather,  before  a  brisk  fire.  If 
you  cover  the  face  of  the  mould  with  fine  plaster,  a  coarser 
sort  will  do  for  the  back :  but  no  more  plaster  should  be 
mixed  up  at  one  time  then  can  be  used,  as  it  will  soon  get 
hard,  and  cannot  be  softened  without  burning  over  again. 

Sulphur  must  not  be  poured  upon  silver  medals,  as  this 
will  tarnish  them. 

To  prepare  this  mould  for  casting  sulphur  or  plaster  of 
Paris  in,  take  half  a  pint  of  boiled  linseed-oil,  and  oil  of  tur- 
pentine one  ounce,  and  mix  them  together  in  a  bottle  ;  when 
wanted,  pour  the  mixture  into  a  plate  or  saucer,  and  dip  the 
surface  of  the  mould  into  it ;  take  the  mould  out  again,  and 
when  it  has  sucked  in  the  oil,  dip  it  again.  Repeat  this  till 
the  oil  begins  to  stagnate  upon  it ;  then  take  a  little  cotton 
woo],  hard  rolled  up,  to  prevent  the  oil  from  sticking  to  it, 
and  wipe  it  carefully  off.  Lay  it  in  a  dry  place  for  a  day  or 
two,  (if  longer  the  better)  and  the  mould  will  acquire  a  very 
hard  surface  from  the  effect  of  the  oil. 

To  ca.ct  plaster  of  Paris  in  this  mould,  proceed  with  it  in 
the  '  ame  manner  as  above  directed  for  obtaining  the  mould 
itself,  first  oiling  the  mould  with  plive-oil.  If  sulphur  calls 
are  required;  it  must  be  melted  in  an  iron  ladle. 


THE  END. 


GENERAL  LIBRARY 
UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA— BERKELEY 

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